DA eyes free irrigation for farmers to boost rice production in PH

The Department of Agriculture is pushing for rice self-sufficiency, while protecting farmers from the
already visible effects of climate change in the country.

The Department of Agriculture wants free irrigation for farmers in a bid to lower down production cost.
The move is seen to enhance rice production and achieve food and nutrition security in the country.

To support this move, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol is lobbying for additional funds in the
amount of P4-billion for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the 2017 budget. This will
mitigate the effects on NIA over the lost revenues when irrigation services fee will be abolished.

“If the appropriation committee will endorse this [proposal], we will be able to realize our commitment
to free irrigation for farmers in 2017,” Rappler reported Piñol as telling members of the House
Committee on Appropriations on Thursday’s budget deliberation. NIA’s proposed budget for 2017 is
P36.35 billion, up by 11.04 percent from its 2015 budget.

The Agriculture chief cited the case of Thai and Vietnamese farmers, who were no longer required to
pay irrigation fees. However, in the Philippines, farmers cannot plant if they do not pay for the required
fees. He disclosed that even the President believed this to be an injustice against the Filipino farmers.

Meanwhile, Piñol also disclosed they are eyeing a positive growth for the agriculture in the second half
of 2016. He said the growth driver would be the grains sector, which make up around 20 percent of the
country’s farm output.

“We’re looking a positive growth for Philippine agriculture... so far the rice fields are green, our harvest
is bumper and everything is turning outright. We are expecting for a positive growth,” Business World
reported him as saying.

To encourage this upward trajectory, food production will be focused in provinces which were not
identified as high-risk areas in the anticipated La Niña Phenomenon. The areas will be identified through
a map they have developed, in coordination with other government agencies, which identified various
risk areas, including the gravity of the risk.

farmers, agricultural, irrigation, budget, growth, production, department of agriculture, agriculture,

national irrigation administration, da, nia, free irrigation, rice, irrigation fees, farm

A naturally irrigated rice field goes dry during the onset of summer in a village in Mogpog, Marinduque
island in central Philippines, April 1, 2013. The Duterte Administration is planning on measures to
safeguard the farmers against the ill-effects of climate change.

REUTERS/Erik De Castro