Philippine Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol proposed a number of measures to solve the problem of water scarcity, particularly during El Niño. These include identifying and protecting the country’s watersheds, building water impounding facilities, and solar-powered irrigation systems. Mr. Piñol also called for the construction of more dams for irrigating farmlands and rice fields as well as for urban use during prolonged droughts.
Only 1.2 million of the 3.9 million rice farms in Central Luzon, the country’s “rice basket,” are irrigated through the National Irrigation Administration. The remaining 2.7 million hectares are rain-fed areas producing only one crop a year. To feed the growing population, more farms have to produce more food and higher production would require more water, he added.
Read the full story at SunStarPAMPANGA
More on water-saving technologies for rice in the Philippines:
