Duterte to inaugurate solar power irrigation system in Mlang
AGRICULTURE • 18:23 PM Fri Feb 3, 2017
945
By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
Rice farmers wait the arrival of Pres. Duterte in Mlang, North Cotabato. (Photo by John Pagaduan/DA)
MLANG, North
Cotabato – All roads lead to a remote village here as President
Duterte is scheduled to launch one of his election promises – free irrigation
for farmers.
This after Agriculture
Sec. Emmanuel Pinol envisioned a solar-powered irrigation system to be given by
the government for free to rice farmers throughout the country beginning this
year.
Time has come
that our rice producers will no longer worry about the cost of irrigating their
farmlands, Pinol told Radyo Bida Koronadal.
This because
the country is rich with water sources that can be tapped for free through this
project as promised by President Duterte before he became our President, he
added.
Pinol revealed
that the idea to build the first prototype Solar-Powered Irrigation System was
actually a result Biyaheng Bukid (Trip to the countryside) he
launched after Duterte named him to head the agriculture office.
A farmer by
heart, Pinol traveled to rice producing provinces and personally listen to
farmers’ woes and to see the country’s agricultural situation.
Before that,
the agriculture chief visited a friend in in Thermal City, Southern California.
His friend used solar powered water pumps that drew water from underground. And
Pinol simply learned the idea and brought the technology back home.
Last December,
Pinol switched-on the first ever No-Inverter Solar-Powered Irrigation System
in Barangay New Janiuay here.
It would
signal the start of the Solar-Powered Irrigation Revolution in the country,
the Agri chief said.
He said the water
pump will no longer use expensive batteries but solar power.
According to
Pinol, the project will not only benefit rice farmers but other high value
crops in upland areas in the country.(Photos below courtesy of John Pagaduan/DA) Image may contain sky and outdoor sand//scontent.fceb2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16406976_10208609103250542_5124158390412649634_n.jpg?oh=208e5553b06fe5ce9d034927c62ef424andampoe=594A5DE9 Image may contain sky outdoor and water sand//scontent.fceb2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16425853_10208609107850657_4113005545312095012_n.jpg?oh=2b3e9d139a862d2f93c43a5975322a40andampoe=5910D51C