NIA-CAR: WATER SUPPLY STILL SUFFICIENT IN SERVICE AREAS

March 9, 2024 Provincial

NIA steps up El Nino measures

LA TRINIAD, Benguet Water supply in service areas still sufficient, the National Irrigation Administration-Cordillera (NIA-CAR) reported even as the agency haw stepped up its mitigating measures to address the impact of El Nino in the Cordillera Region. As this developed, the agency said is monitoring a total of 2,848.89 hectares of
vulnerable areas projected to be affected by the the dry spell weather phenomenon El Nino across the region.

It covers both the national irrigation system (NIS), numbering to four , and communal irrigation system (CIS) with 147 for a total of 151. Of the vulnerable areas, planted areas (rice) posted a total of 2,782.89 hectares which are on its ‘reproductive stage.’ In fact, this early (March) harvest period for this dry season has started in some areas , and ends by May, 2024.

Based on the agency’s Monitoring Unit in convergence with the agriculture department – Cordillera, among its actions taken include : provision of 39 water pumps to Irrigator Associations (IAs); adopted rotational schedule of water delivery; continuous desilting activities at main canal, monitoring of discharge at water source, and the conduct of orientations/seminars to IAs regarding Water Savings Technology like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD).

Primo Agatep/ABN