ILOILO – An estimated 1,266 farmers in the 2nd District are seen to benefit from the newly rehabilitated Santa Barbara River Irrigation System (SBRIS) in the municipality of Santa Barbara.
The improved SBRIS was inaugurated yesterday morning by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
The Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), funded the rehabilitation that cost P170,048,340.
With the help of the Philippine Rice Research Institute, NIA started rehabilitating SBRIS in 2013.
The work covered a diversion dam, a main canal, laterals, drainage canal structures, drainage structures, on-farm structures, and service roads.
Offices with support facilities for five associations of irrigators were also constructed.
According to NIA administrator Ricardo Visaya, the rehabilitated SBRIS would result to “efficient operations and maintenance that will eventually optimize the benefits…”
“We can make our farmlands more productive and contribute to the rice (sufficiency) of our communities,” he added.
SBRIS irrigates 2,289 hectares of agricultural land.
Meanwhile, the five irrigators’ associations with new offices and support facilities (warehouses and multipurpose dryers) were the following:
* Palacati-an IA based in Santa Barbara
* Lacagbun IA based in Jaro, Iloilo City
* Lacasan IA based in Leganes, Iloilo
* Cabuglasan IA based in Leganes, Iloilo
* Trifia IA based in Jaro, Iloilo City/PN
