P2.5-B Banaoang Irrigation Project Bolsters Rice Sufficiency Efforts in Ilocos

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Created on Sunday, 24 July 2011 Published Date

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Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (inset, top left) enjoins farmer-members of Irrigators’ Associations (inset, top right) and local officials in Ilocos Sur to strongly support and contribute to President Aquino’s efforts through the Department of Agriculture to attain rice self-sufficiency by 2013 that is further bolstered with the recent completion of the P2.5-billion Banaoang Pump Irrigation Project (BIBP), in Bgy. San Mariano, Bantay, Ilocos Sur. With year-round irrigation sourced from Abra River, 4,220 farmer-beneficiaries will be able to plant up to 5,232 hectares in seven towns to palay, tobacco, vegetables and other crops and harvest a combined yield of at least 25,000 metric tons worth P500 million annually. The project was jointly funded by the Philippine government and a loan from the China National Constructional and Agricultural Machinery Import and Export Corporation. Sec. Alcala was ushered in by Administrator Antonio Nangel of the DA-National Irrigation Administrator at the BIBP compound, where he consulted with farmers and local officials led by Gov. Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson, represented by Vice Governor Deogracias Victor ‘DV’ Savelllano and Rep. Ryan Singson. His visit was part of a three-day swing of Ilocandia’s four provinces, starting from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan, where he conducted farmers' and fisherfolk's forum, attended by a combined crowd of 5,000 farmers, fishers, local chief executives, other agri-fishery stakeholders, and officials and staff of the DA family. # # #(Photo by Kathrino Resurreccion, DA Information Service)