SAN GABRIEL, La Union — Thirty hectares of farmland in Barangay Bucao, San Gabriel, La Union, are set to gain a more reliable water supply at lower irrigation costs after the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) turned over two solar-powered irrigation projects on Oct. 16, as local farmers prepare for the threat of a Super El Niño.

El Niño, a climate pattern marked by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, typically brings below-normal rainfall to the Philippines and heightens drought risk for farming communities such as San Gabriel.

The facilities were handed over by the NIA-La Union Irrigation Management Office, led by Division Manager engineer Cynthia G. Panit, to the BC Farmers' Association under the Establishment of Groundwater Pump Irrigation Project.

The project incorporates artificial intelligence- and satellite-assisted monitoring along with a fertigation system, which delivers fertilizer directly through the irrigation water, to improve water and fertilizer management. Running on solar energy, the facilities are expected to reduce farmers' reliance on diesel- and gasoline-powered pumps, lowering operating expenses while helping sustain irrigation through dry spells.

BC Farmers' Association President Dexter Bacani thanked NIA, saying that reliable access to water would help members protect their crops amid drought risks. The association will manage and maintain the facilities.

The San Gabriel turnover forms part of a broader push to expand solar-powered irrigation across the Ilocos Region. Earlier this month, NIA Region I turned over three solar-powered irrigation projects in Piddig, Ilocos Norte, covering 45 hectares. The agency also distributed solar-powered water pumps to irrigators' associations in the province in September, while three project sites turned over in San Esteban, Ilocos Sur, in 2024 served 30 hectares and benefited 68 farmers.

The turnover in San Gabriel was attended by NIA Region 1 Engineering and Operations Division Manager Emilio M. Domagas, Jr., San Gabriel Mayor Lany B. Carbonell, Bucao village chief Rowel P. Dacumos, and other local government and NIA officials.

Through solar-powered irrigation and partnerships with local governments, NIA aims to help farmers cut costs, protect their crops, and sustain production despite worsening dry conditions. How the community-managed Bucao systems fare through the coming dry months will offer an early indication of that effort. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Source: BusinessWorld