Farmers groups asked to avail irrigation projects
Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Director Frisco Malabanan urged the farmers associations in the region to closely coordinate with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) on the possible rehabilitation and restoration of irrigation systems here after the national government allocated P3.12 billion for its irrigation project nationwide.
Malabanan, who was in Iloilo Friday for the Information Caravan 2007 said the Department of Agriculture is focusing its attention on the restoration and rehabilitation program all over the country in relation to the programs concerning rice and corn production.
A good irrigation system could benefit the farmers who are into rice and corn production. The irrigation system is one of the factors that could lead to the good production of rice and corn aside from using certified seeds or hybrid rice and corn seeds.
The restoration of irrigation systems is only one of the programs in-line with the government's plan to continually increase the production of rice and corn but at the same time increase the income capacity of the farmers and avoid losses. Post harvest facilities will likewise diversify the income of the farmers, he said.
The department is also eyeing for the provision of quality genetic materials for planting such as the use of hybrid rice and hybrid corn seeds in addition to certified seeds and open pollinated varieties for white and yellow corn. Research and development activities and credit assistance are also the department's thrust for 2007, said Malabanan.
Malabanan added, the government is also giving attention to farm-to-market roads. This is the government's mitigating measures to ease the burden of the farmers in transporting their goods from their place.
Meanwhile, the GMA project will release 129,000 bags of certified rice seeds out of the 600,000 bags to farmers in Western Visayas. The certified rice seeds will be given to the farmers who are farming in rain fed-lowland irrigated areas.
The distribution of the certified rice seeds is the government's response on reports of poverty in far-flung areas in the country. This is the answer to the reports regarding hunger in the countryside, said Malabanan.