CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga — Production yield is sure to increase in the service areas of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS) due to improved main and lateral canals and distribution of 100 irrigation pumps to farmers.
Engr. Ferdinand Indammog of the Kalinga Provincial Irrigation Management Office (KPIMO) said, in the Kalinga side of the UCRIS service area, production yield increased by 1.8 percent, the result of the improvement of the diversion canal with 119 hectares of newly irrigated rice lands. The increase also came from areas irrigated by 100 pumps distributed free by NIA.
Upon completion of the improvement of existing canals and construction of extension canal projects in Quezon, Isabela, palay production will increase to 5.2 percent or to more than 25 metric tons per harvest, according to Indammog.
He said 250 hectares of new rice lands will be irrigated in barangays Dummun and Aurora upon completion of the 6.5 km. UCRIS existing canal and construction of 900 meters extension by March 2019. Present production area in Quezon is 4,656 hectares.
The projects which are benefitting 400 laborers are also expected to benefit 208 farmers.
To protect the existing main canal, KPMO applied the coconet technology spreading it out on 14,000 square meters of the UCRIS main canal particularly along the Maledda-Tannubong-Bulo section
Indammog said the P14- million project is almost complete and planted with vetivir grass to protect it against erosion. “Vetivir grass also benefits local residents since they can use its leaves to make hats, fans and other products to earn additional income,” he said. **JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga
