Modern irrigation eases Dinagat Islands farmers’ woes over rising fuel prices
By Renelle L. Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — With rising production costs in farming due to a spike in fuel prices, anxious farmers of the Dinagat Islands Pure Organic Farmers Alliance (DIPOFA) found relief from the provincial government of Dinagat Islands’ newly completed solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS).
Through the Dinagat Islands Provincial Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Office (PABEO), it conducted a demonstration to the members of DIPOFA from Barangay Garcia, Libjo on March 17, as beneficiaries of the project, and taught them how to operate the modern irrigation system using solar energy that will provide efficient and sufficient water supply to their farmlands, while removing the burdensome costs of gasoline or fuel for their irrigation system.
For the farmers of DIPOFA, the Middle East crisis has indirectly affected and made them anxious and doubtful. Notwithstanding, they considered the SPIS as a blessing from the government and a fulfillment of its commitment to keep the farmers and their livelihoods buoyant and resilient.
According to Engineer Marlon E. Cuenco, officer-in-charge of PABEO, “Gipakita niini nga inisyatibo ang dakong papel sa modernong teknolohiya sa pagpalambo sa agrikultura hilabi na karong panahona nga padayon ang pagsaka sa presyo sa gasolina sa global nga merkado. Pinaagi sa paggamit sa solar energy, mapakunhod ang gasto sa produksyon ug masiguro nga mas lig-on ug malungtarong ang irigasyon alang sa atong mga mag-uuma.”
(This initiative shows the significant role of modern technology in advancing agriculture, despite the current situation of ongoing increase in fuel prices in the global market. By using solar energy, production cost is lessened, ensuring a sustainable irrigation system for our farmers.)
“This newly completed SPIS is a testament to how the provincial government, through the leadership of Governor Nilo P. Demerey Jr., has sincerely supported modern technology to solve and address the challenges in agriculture, including the continuing global tension in the Middle East,” he said.
He motivated the beneficiaries to keep moving forward to achieve an efficient and sustainable agricultural sector in the province, in support of the country’s long-term food security goals. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands with a report from PABEO)
