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Irrigation best way to preserve Ifugao terraces
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The continuous supply of water for irrigation is one of the best ways to prolong the lifespan of the world famous Ifugao rice terraces which were constructed over 2,000 years ago.

Engineer Abraham Akilit, regional manager of the National irrigation Authority in the Cordillera bared this saying presence of water in the rice terraces would prevent giant earthworms from living in the terraces and damaging these.

Furthermore, the abundant supply of water would prevent the occurrence of soil erosion that is causing the rapid deterioration of the prime tourist destination in Ifugao.

Akilit said the sudden rush of water into the dried up portions of the rice terraces during the rainy season is the primary cause of eroded paddies that contributes to the deterioration of the terraces.

Earlier, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Office warned it would delist the Ifugao rice terraces from the list of world heritage sites if the national and provincial governments will not exert sustainable efforts to preserve the terraces from eventual destruction.

To realize continuous water supply for the terraces, Akilit recommended that local government units must come out with a sustainable watershed program through massive reforestation and care for the trees so that it could hold water for the terraces.

The NIA official said water in the major river systems in the cordillera have significantly decreased thereby posing a threat to the sustenance of water for irrigation in the vast agricultural lands in the region and the lowlands.

Akilit added the regional NIA’s advocacy for watershed management has gained the support of Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero who cited the importance of watershed development to ensure enough water for irrigation even during prolonged dry spell.

Escudero reportedly informed agriculture officials that the rehabilitation of irrigation canals will be irrelevant without water flowing into it, thus, the need for the government to invest in watershed management.

Environmentalists in the region were encouraged by Escudero’s recognition of the region’s dedicated campaign for watershed and called on lawmakers to introduce a provision in the 2008 national budget that would require projects to have watershed-based components to preserve the remaining forest develop denuded mountains for the benefit of the future generation.

The Cordillera is considered the “watershed cradle” of Northern Luzon where all the water that flows in the river systems originate from the mountains of the region, thus, the urgent need to protect and revitalize logged out and denuded mountains. -- Dexter A. See