|
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Irrigation office: Tilapia ponds affect Ifugao crop farmers
THE promotion of tilapia-raising in Lamut, Ifugao is prejudicial to crop production areas in the town.
Some 40 hectares of tilapia farms are reportedly depriving rice farmers of the needed water to irrigate their croplands.
National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Director Abraham Akilith said tilapia raisers have been drawing water from the irrigation canals and directed this to their fishponds.
This, he said, raised howls from among crop growers because the water that is supposed to irrigate their farms was diverted to other plantations without prior consultations conducted.
Akilith added that proponents of the "One-Town, One-Product (Otop)" program failed to coordinate with them on plans to draw water from the irrigation canals. Lamut identified tilapia as its Otop.
To address the problem, farmers agreed with fisherfolks that the wastewater from tilapia production areas to be utilized to irrigate the rice fields.
Ifugao Provincial Irrigation Officer Normalito Tamayo said an order has also been issued, limiting the construction of fishponds in the town. He said new pond construction will not be allowed to draw water from the NIA irrigation canals without a permit from the regional director. (JC)
(February 25, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
