MANILA, Philippines — The National Irrigation Administration has opened the newly rehabilitated Mal River Irrigation System in Davao del Sur as part of government’s effort to cover more agricultural areas nationwide.
NIA recently inaugurated the P104 million irrigation system and turned over irrigators association buildings and support facilities in the municipalities of Matanao and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.
The rehabilitation is funded by the Japan Internationala Cooperation Agency under the National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project which has 11 projects nationwide.
The project includes the construction of six units of irrigators’ association offices, three units of combined offices and warehouse, 16.1-kilometer concrete canal lining, construction and repair of 20 structures, five new steel gates, and 15.7 kilometers of grading and gravelling, among others.
The irrigation system, whose water sources come from Mal River in Matanao, is expected to provide irrigation service to 2,635 hectares of agricultural land in three municipalities, benefitting 3,720 farmers.
NIA deputy administrator Romeo Gan said the rehabilitation project would translate into efficient operation and maintenance that would ensure quality of rice produced, higher price for the commodity and eventually increasing farmers’ income.
The agency continues to follow its mandate of providing reliable and sustainable irrigation services to farmers through the construction of irrigation projects and rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems.