Kalinga rice production up with irrigation project

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga – Rice production yield is set to increase in the service area of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS) from an extended production area brought about by improved main and lateral canals and distribution of 100 irrigation pumps to farmers.

Engineer Ferdinand Indammog of the Kalinga Provincial Irrigation Management Office (KPIMO) said in the Kalinga side of the UCRIS, production yield increased to 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 extension canal project 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 o by March 2019. Present production area in Quezon is 4,656 hectares.

 The project which is benefitting 400 laborers is 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, funs and other products to earn additional income,” he said. – PIA Kalinga