RP to adopt hi-tech irrigation system

Forget the multi-billion peso dams and large-scale water infrastructure projects that have become regular feature of the country’s agricultural landscape.

Now, the government is set to adopt a hi-tech irrigation project that harnesses the unlimited rays of the sun to power pumps that can draw water from the ground to irrigate potential vegetable and high-value crop areas especially in the hinterland.

"We are bringing in an irriga-tion technology so appropriate for a tropical country like ours," Agriculture Secretary Luis Loren-zo Jr. told PAJ News and Features.

"Since solar rays are renewable energy sources, running a sun-powered pump would be cheaper in the long run because it requires minimal maintenance cost and virtually no cost to operate it," he said.

The project, which aims to irrigate 6,000 hectares of land reserved for high value crops using solar-powered shallow tube wells, will be implemented by a local subsidiary of the New Jersey, USA-based World Water Corp. in cooperation with the National Irrigation Administration.

The sun-powered pumps had been appropriately designed for agricultural use in remote areas not yet energized. Initially, they will be installed in Sarangani and in the autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao but eventually will spread elsewhere in Luzon and Visayas., the DA chief said.

The system uses hybrid photo-voltaic technology which directly converts solar radiation into elec-tricity in a form of direct current. Then the electric output is trans-mitted to a submersible pump to irrigate high value crops in the up-lands and even supply the water needs for fish pond and duck raising.

The undertaking, set to take off late this year, will be financed by a $52-million loan from the Pitts-burgh National Bank Corp. (PNC Bank) while the US Export-Import Bank will act as guarantor.

The loan, to be implemented over a five-year period, or roughly $10 million per year, will be payable in ten years and has a two-year grace period.

Lorenzo said a letter of intent to finance the undertaking was signed by himself and US Exim-bank chairman Philip Merill du-ring the state visit of President Arroyo to Washington DC recent-ly. The signing ceremony had been witnessed by NIA administrator Jesus Emmanuel Paras and PNC Bank officials, he added.

While one unit, complete with solar panels, electronic control and pump, costs P1.1 million to P2.5 million, the investment allows farmers to plant crops thrice a year in an area up to ten hectares, John Herrman, president of World Water Philippines. Inc., said.

"Our solar panels are gua-ranteed for 25 years, the electronic parts up to 10 years and the pumps from three to five years, giving farmers more value for their money," he added.

Herman also pointed out that tapping solar energy for agricul-ture is an environment-friendlier alternative to the use of fossil fuel because farm gadgets that run on solar energy are cheaper, operates with minimal noise, and a lot cleaner because they do not emit toxic fumes into the atmosphere.

Paras said a model solar-po-wered pump had already been set up at the former Camp Abu Bakar in Salipada K. Pendatun, Maguin-danao, a few years ago to demon-strate how the hi-tech irrigation works.

The NIA boss said before it was damaged due to the armed conflict between Muslim secessio-nists and government forces in 2001, the machine was instrumen-tal in helping transform about five hectares of the former rebel camp into a productive agricultural land planted to corn, high-value vege-tables and cash crops that provi-ded livelihood to local residents. – PAJ News and Features