Farmers in Laguna province recently received much-needed assistance in the form of subsidies from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) last Monday, September 24.
The subsidy, totaling P2.74 million, was given to the Laguna Federation of Irrigators' Associations Inc. during a ceremony at the NIA – Calabarzon regional office in Pila, Laguna.
According to Engr. Erwin Lucela, chief of the Engineering and Operations Division of NIA Calabarzon, the funds aim to facilitate the continuous operation and maintenance of irrigation systems, covering essential activities such as cleaning irrigation canals, administering irrigators associations (IAs) offices, and managing other association expenses.
Moreover, 12 small irrigation projects were officially handed over to the IAs in Laguna and Rizal provinces, which will irrigate 237 hectares of farmland and enhance the livelihoods of farmers in these areas.
These include the Majayjay Communal Irrigation System (CIS), Malinao II Small Irrigation Project (SIP), Piit SIP, and Bitaoy SIP (Majayjay, Laguna); Pagsanjan SIP (Pagsanjan, Laguna) Registering SIP Paagahan CIS (Mabitac, Laguna); Banadero CIS (San Pablo, Laguna); Matikiw 1 CIS Pakil CIS (Pakil, Laguna); Layasin SIP (Cavinti, Laguna); and Maybangkal CIS (Morong, Rizal).
As part of the program, a marketing agreement was also signed under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP), a government initiative that connects farmers’ products with various private and public agencies to combat poverty and hunger in the country.
(With report from PNA/OpinYon News Team)
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