The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) led by Deputy Project Director Jodel Tabada turned over the P33.9 Million completed rehabilitation of Culit Communal Irrigation System (CIS) in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte to the Culit-Kinabjangan Irrigators Association yesterday, January 30.

The improved and expanded CIS that covers an influence area of at least 100 hectares mostly planted with rice benefits 140 farming households. “Members of the association are grateful since all of the rice areas they have can now be watered,” said Pausto Empanado, Jr., President of Irrigators’ Association.

DA-PRDP technical staff together with the LGU officials trail the path of the coverage or service area of the Communal Irrigation System (CIS). (RPCO 13)

Empanado shared that the service area before can only reach up to 20 hectares since they were just relying on earth canal. The potential service area was less utilized and farmers were just growing grass and plants to feed their goats, pigs, and cows.

“Now that the irrigation is completed, we want to utilize the potential service area of the project. We will prohibit the animals to stay and lay down in the irrigation canals. This is also our way of preserving the project,” said Empanado.

The municipality hopes that rice farmers’ production will be increased from 3 metric tons to 4.5 metric tons per hectare through the irrigation project.

Lydia Apatan, Municipal Project Management and Implemention Unit Head, said that the project can now provide a steady supply of water per cropping season so the farmers can maximize cropping intensity. “The better production of rice farmers also means an increase in income which they can use for their farms and expenses for the family,” said Apatan.

Mayor Enrico Corvera said that the counterpart of the local government will surely reap better returns. “This project required us a big amount as a counterpart, but the local government is confident that this will result in an increase in local revenue,” said Corvera.

DA-PRDP requires a 10% counterpart from the provincial or municipal local government where the infrastructure project is implemented. The 80% of the total budget is coming from the World Bank and the other 10% is from the Government of the Philippines.

The Project has been partnering with the Local Government Unit of Nasipit and the Irrigators’ Association in building the CIS infrastructure and facilities to raise the income, productivity, and competitiveness of the farmers in the countryside. (Fretcher Magatao, RPCO-Caraga)

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