|
Philippines: Samar rice fields thirst for water |
|
|
|
|
Friday, 16 October 2009 |
Philippine Daily Inquirer: Samar, the country's third largest island, has 25 major rivers, but its rice fields are thirsting for irrigation water.
Most of the rivers have never been tapped for irrigation, the reason rice productivity in the island’s three provinces—Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar—has remained very low.
Compared to other provinces in Eastern Visayas (Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran, where 76 percent of irrigable lands already have water supply facilities), only 21 percent of those in Samar are irrigated.
A national policy on irrigation projects implemented last year in the wake of a rice shortage scuttled the hope of Calbiga farmers to have an irrigation facility this year.
“The policy that President Arroyo has adopted is the recommendation of the Irri (International Rice Research Institute) for us to be able to address the (rice) shortfall,” says Mel Senen Sarmiento, chair of the Regional Development Council and mayor of Calbayog City.
Read the full story.
|
