Negros Occ. gov proposes P40M for irrigation, agri productivity
Governor Isidro Zayco proposed to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to appropriate P40 million for irrigation facilities and agricultural productivity inputs recently.
The proposed budget appropriation is partly meant to address the rice productivity issues in the province as well as avert future rice and food situations.
The proposal was made by Zayco after various concerns on the repair and rehabilitation of existing communal irrigation facilities and farm productivity were raised at the Forum on the Development Plan of Provincially-Implemented Irrigation Systems for a Sustainable Agriculture.
Zayco told mayors, municipal and city agriculturists that he will address these concerns by requesting the SP to approve in their session a resolution providing support funds.
The governor reiterated that there is no rice shortage in Negros Occidental. "The province is No. 11 in the country and 2nd in the region in rice production last year," he said.
Even with a monocrop sugar economy, the province was able to produce 90% of rice while 10% were sourced from other regions, said Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan. He added that with the importation of NFA, there is surplus of rice stocks in the province.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) targets to achieve rice self-sufficiency in Negros Occidental by 2010 given the funds available. "By then, we will no longer rely on imported rice," said Tabianan, adding that providing for additional irrigation facilities, among them the proposed Irrigation Highway, is one of the answers to the perceived rice crisis.
At the Forum, a resolution was formulated to fast-track the implementation of irrigation programs in the province and to request the Department of Agriculture to release directly the budget of the National Government to the Local Government Units for the implementation of irrigation, seed dispersal, and other projects.
The Forum was held to gather ideas for the improvement of the Irrigation Development Plan. OPA will consider and evaluate concerns raised by the participants at the Forum. (OPA/PIA/EAD)