More than 5,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Rizal, Cagayan are smiling from ear-to-ear as water now flows in their rice fields after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turned over a P35.7 million irrigation facility.
DAR Regional Director Atty. Marjorie Ayson said the irrigation project would greatly contribute in boosting farmers’ yield in rice and corn.
Ayson said the Mauanan Communal Irrigation System implemented under the Agrarian Reform Support Infrastructure Project (ARISP), is designed to serve 140 hectares of agricultural lands mainly in Barangays Maunan, Iluru Sur, Iluru Norte, Gagabutan East, and Gagabutan West all clustered under the Malaueg agrarian reform community. Also benefitting from it are farms in neighboring barangays, Gaddangao and Baluncanag.
“With adequate irrigation, we expect an increase in crop production from 80 to 100 cavans per hectare,” Ayson said.
“This irrigation facility will create significant change to the lives of our farmer beneficiaries, we only hope that the 1,060 household that will benefit from this project will take good care of the facility, so that the progress is continuous,” added Ayson.
Rizal Mayor Atty. Joel Ruma lauded the Department for its unyielding support to the farmers of Rizal, “I thank the DAR for this provision and for giving the farmers of Rizal a chance to improve their present condition. Rest assured that we will take good care of the project,” Ruma said.
The agrarian reform community is a convergence zone for delivery of support services such as infrastructure projects, livelihood and financing programs. (30) (Public Assistance and Media Relations Service, Department of Agrarian Reform)
