THE Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office here has started to implement the solar pump fertigation project to help boost the agricultural sector in Central Luzon.
Engineer Elmer Tubig, chief of the Regional Agricultural Engineering Division, said on Thursday, September 2, 2021 that it is presently the DA’s pilot and priority project in the region, which aims to help increase the country's rice production.
Tubig said fertigation, a technology from Israel, is the practice of adding fertilizers to irrigation water and distributed them through the irrigation system.
“The technology is from Israel which is a combination of irrigation and fertilizer application na kung saan ay pinapadali ang pagsasaka at nire-reduce the gastos sa sakahan (which makes farming easier and reduces the farming expenses),” he said in a video interview.
Tubig said the solar-powered fertigation pump cost P1.1 million each and would be established in 31 areas in the region (eight in Nueva Ecija, six in Tarlac, four each in Bulacan and Zambales and three each in Aurora, Bataan and Pampanga provinces).
Aside from this, he said the DA is also implementing other irrigation projects in the region such as the construction of diversion dam, water impounding and solar pumps.
The DA is also helping farmers through the construction of post-harvest facilities such as warehouses with recirculating dryers.
“Almost nasa 97 percent na yung compliance natin pagdating sa (Our compliance is almost 97 percent when it comes to the) construction of warehouse projects," Tubig said.
Meanwhile, he asked farmers to enlist in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture and join organizations to access agriculture-related programs and services. (PNA)