NORTHERN Mindanao agriculture department (DA-10) has turned over the Solar-Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) to the local government of Impasugong town which will boost agri-fisheries production in the province of Bukidnon.
Said irrigation system worth more than P1.86 million will benefit farmers in barangay Kalabugao, covering eight hectares of highly elevated farmlands, planted mostly with high-value crops.
It has 30 solar modules at 320 Watt Power per module to drive the 7.5 horsepower surface pump with three inches diameter.
The water that comes from Kalabugao River will be pumped up into an elevated concrete reservoir with a capacity of 27 cubic meters.
DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said, the project is funded under the department’s High-Value Crops Development Program, which started on February 17 and completed on June 21, this year.
“Amid the ongoing health crisis, DA has worked hard to complete the project soon enough to help the Kalabugao farmers conveniently irrigate their vegetable farms. With this, they can utilize their time with other productive activities while coping with the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he stressed.
The Kalabugao SPIS is DA-10’s 9th small scale water impounding system project in Bukidnon.
Impasugong Mayor Anthony A. Uy, DA’s SPIS said the project is significant to irrigate the farms in the barangay, which is planted mostly with tomatoes, bell pepper, squash, and cabbage.
The mayor hopes that DA-10 will continue to assist the town’s farmers and fisherfolks to become more productive thereby uplifting their economic status.
At present, Impasugong has a total of three hectares of vegetable production area.
“Farmers are starting to plant vegetables in different areas with the availability of water through the SPIS,” said Dianne Jane Gante, the reporting officer of the municipal agriculture office of said town.
Along with the turnover of SPIS, the town has also received other agri-fishery interventions from DA-10 that will benefit other barangays. (DA 10/PIA Bukidnon)
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