Farmers beg for DA aid as rice paddies dry up; cracks now up to 12-inch deep

By Eldie S. Aguirre,
Davao Bureau Chief

DIGOS City — Hundreds of rice farmers in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur are asking the Department of Agriculture (DA) for immediate assistance as water from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has been drying up due to the absence of heavy rainfall for more than a month.

Albert Santos, Badagoy Irrigators Association, Incorporated board of director, in an interview, said a big chunk of the 3,000 hectares rice field in this town is turning into a dry land.

Badagoy is the acronym of the town’s three villages (Barayong, Dalawinon, and Kalamagoy) known as a big rice producer in the province where Magsaysay town has been touted as the “rice granary” of Davao del Sur.

“The Southern portion of our area planted with rice is in dire need of swift government assistance so that we can still save the still premature rice stalks which is in its milking and booting stage. We fear that our money and efforts to help produce staple food for the community will (fail),” Santos said.

It was learned that the insufficient water supply from the irrigation canals have caused panic and misunderstanding among rice farmers in the area.

Santos said the scarcity of water supply from the dams and more than a month of zero rainfall could cause tremendous financial damage to at least 700 to 800 farmers in the area if the agriculture department will not intervene to resolve their problem.

“In behalf of the farmers belonging to the Badagoy Irrigators Association, Incorporated, I am asking DA Secretary Manny Piñol to help us in the acquisition of additional water pumps for us to utilize water from the creeks nearby,” Santos said.

He said they are willing to put an equity, if needed, as long as they could have the much needed water pumps which is vital to save their respective rice fields.

“Without the water pumps or heavy rainfall for at least once or twice a week we will end up nothing. Affected farmers will be lucky enough if this calamity will have some for consumption,” Santos said.

It was learned that Magsaysay Municipal Agriculturist Helen Carampatana has conducted an initial investigation and found out that soil cracks inside the riceland is about 12 inches deep in some areas.

The premature rice stalks needs at least one more month of stable water supply to assure of a good harvest, but without rain and insufficient water from the irrigation canals will put the farmers in the losing end.