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Deep wells, solar irrigation among interventions for rice farmers amid El Niño

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Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Farmers in Barangay Sumapang Matanda, Malolos, Bulacan plant seedlings in their farm lots at the start of the second planting season Thursday, September 14, 2023. Maria Tan ABS-CBN News/File." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/news/01/15/20230914-rice-planting-malolos-mt-19.jpg"/><figcaption>Farmers in Barangay Sumapang Matanda, Malolos, Bulacan plant seedlings in their farm lots at the start of the second planting season Thursday, September 14, 2023. <em>Maria Tan ABS-CBN News/File.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture has earmarked at least P250 million for solar irrigation projects, their spokesperson Asec. Arnel de Mesa said on Monday.</p><p>This is one of the several interventions lined up by the DA to mitigate the effects of El Niño.</p><p>&quot;Ine-expect naman natin kapag El Niño, merong lugar talaga na hindi matataniman. Isa &#x27;yun sa mga naka-line na programa natin kapag sobrang drought, eto &#x27;yung klase ng intervention, naka program na &#x27;yun lahat,&quot; De Mesa said.</p><p>Among the programs they have already started are irrigation projects to ensure that farms will still receive water.</p><p>&quot;Ang gusto lang sabihin ni Secretary, immediate interventions. Merong pondo na P250 million para sa solar irrigation projects, it&#x27;s either mag-tap sa surface water or groundwater. Ito ay sinisimulan na,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Priority nito kung saan mataas ang rice production natin, saan maapektuhan, may mga parameters yan, we&#x27;ll give you details,&quot; he added.</p><p>Rice watch group Bantay Bigas sounded the alarm that rice farmers in the countryside have already begun feeling the effects of El Niño.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/14/24/some-farmers-in-bulacan-feeling-effects-of-el-nio">Some farmers in Bulacan feeling effects of El Niño</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/12/21/23/cavite-nueva-ecija-provinces-experiencing-drought-pagasa">Cavite, Nueva Ecija provinces experiencing drought: Pagasa</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Meron na tayong nakukuhang ilang data like Bicol at saka Visayas na talagang nakakaranas na sila ng tagtuyot. Kung saan &#x27;yung kanilang mga palayan ay hirap na, apektado na, so pagdating sa patubig, nahihirapan na sila,&quot; said Bantay Bigas chair and spokesperson Cathy Estavillo.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2930208" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Estavillo says farmers have tried several ways to ensure they can still harvest despite the lack of enough water for their rice fields.</p><p>&quot;Gumagamit na sila ng deep well, kung saan yung underground water ay kailangan gamitan ng drum-drum na langis, para makapagpataas ng tubig, pang irigasyon,&quot; she added.</p><p>However, the use of deep wells is not too ideal for ordinary farmers as it raises the cost of production, resulting in more expenses for them.</p><p>&quot;Malaki pagkalugi nila, kapag talagang hindi maalagaan ng tubig &#x27;yung tanim nila ngayon. Alam natin kapag nalugi ang ating mga magsasaka, hirap na hirap na silang makabawi, magre-resulta yan sa pagkabaon sa utang,&quot; Estavillo said.</p><p>&quot;Nakakagalit kasi kahit binabanggit ng gobyerno na may ayuda siya sa mga magsasaka, hindi talaga sapat,&quot; she said.</p><p>Bantay Bigas says they are expecting a significant drop in the level of rice production this year due to El Niño, which in turn may result in price spikes of rice.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung experience natin nung 2019, kung saan napakahaba rin ng drought o El Niño nung panahon na &#x27;yun, may mga magsasaka na sa isang ektaryang tinamnam nila ng palay, almost 20 cavans lang ang naani nila,&quot; she said.</p><p>Bantay Bigas said more interventions from the government should be done to ensure that farmers can still harvest rice this dry cropping season.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/19/23/marcos-jr-to-form-el-nio-task-force-as-ph-braces-for-droughts-in-2024">Marcos Jr. to form El Niño task force as PH braces for droughts in 2024</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/19/23/denr-sees-major-problems-if-el-nio-persists-in-second-half-of-2024">DENR: &#x27;Major problems&#x27; ahead if El Niño persists in second half of 2024</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2706177" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Department of Agriculture has earmarked at least P250M for solar irrigation projects, their spokesperson Asec. Arnel de Mesa said on Monday.

Deep wells, solar irrigation among interventions for rice farmers amid El Niño

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Deep wells, solar irrigation among interventions for rice farmers amid El Niño

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 15, 2024 04:45 PM PHT

Read More:

Department of Agriculture

DA

Bantay Bigas

rice prices

agriculture

drought

El Nino

farming

rice farming

Arnel de Mesa

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