NIA eyes P1.84-B irrigation project in Isabela
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) plans to build a P1.84-billion irrigation project in Isabela to address long-standing irrigation issues in the province.
The NIA is proposing the Paculago Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Sta. Maria town, to enhance agricultural productivity by ensuring a reliable supply of irrigation water.
According to a NIA file submitted to the Environmental Management Bureau, the Paculago SRIP “is envisioned to address the longstanding irrigation challenges of the municipalities of Santa Maria and Cabagan in the province of Isabela.”
Farmers in Isabela grow mainly rice and corn, with certain areas dedicated to vegetables, high-value crops and fruit-bearing trees. They currently rely on the Paculago Communal Irrigation System and the Naganacan Small Water Impounding Project to meet their irrigation needs. But these are insufficient to meet demand.
“These facilities are unable to provide sufficient and reliable irrigation water to sustain year-round cultivation, resulting in asynchronous cropping patterns, low productivity, and income instability among farming households,” the NIA said.
“Rainfed farmlands are particularly vulnerable, with cropping patterns dictated by the onset of the rainy season rather than a managed irrigation schedule,” it added.
To address this problem, the NIA intends to build the Paculago SRIP, which will provide year-round irrigation to 1,400 hectares of agricultural land.
