Karl Vincent Recla, Officer-in-Charge of the National Irrigation Administration-Davao Region construction management section. (PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.)
DAVAO CITY – The National Irrigation Administration in Davao Region (NIA-11) allotted a PHP2.1 billion budget for 76 communal irrigation systems (CIS) this year.
Of the total, 17 projects have been completed while the rest are eyed for completion not later than April 2025, NIA-11 construction management Officer-in-Charge Karl Vincent Recla said in a press briefing Monday.
The CIS are small-scale schemes constructed with farmer-beneficiaries’ participation through their irrigation associations, which will then operate and maintain the projects upon completion.
Based on NIA-11 data, 62 CIS were established in the region in 2017, 82 in 2018, 98 in 2019, 84 in 2020, 39 in 2021 and 37 in 2022.
“Projects for CIS from 2017 to 2022 are all completed,” Recla said.
All but two of 84 CIS projects in 2023 worth PHP1.3 billion were completed to date. The rest are expected to be done within the year.
Farmers with less than 1,000 hectares can request for the project. If they pass the NIA validation and assessment, the request will be forwarded to the central office for funding. (PNA)
