Lingayen – A total of 600 farmer groups in Pangasinan are set to receive water pump and engine units, with the first of the three batches of distribution held on June 16 at the Motorpool in Capitol Compound here.
Nestor Batalla, acting assistant of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) and in-charge of the program, said that the distribution of irrigation machine sets is one of incumbent Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.’s priority projects to upgrade the agriculture industry and boost harvest productivity in the province.
“This only shows the governor is being true to his commitment to upgrade the plight of farmers in the province.” said Batalla.
He said that this is the third time the Espino administration is making the donation as it is done once in every term of the outgoing governor, who is serving his third and last term as provincial chief executive.
The set includes a heavy duty but easy-to-carry, durable DP30 model air-cooled diesel water pump with built-in engine.
One kit is turned over to a farmers’ association with a minimum combined plowed field of 10 hectares, multiplying direct beneficiaries to about 7,000 rice, corn or vegetable growers from the 44 municipalities and 3 cities in the province.
Recipient groups have been selected upon submission of a formal request thru drafting an organization resolution and were further screened via an on-site validation conducted by OPAg personnel.
Batalla added that the units are helpful not only in making upland irrigation possible, but also in regulating water level in the fields which will enable growers to plant and harvest thrice a year either on dry or rainy seasons for a greater yield.
At the distribution, OPAg recorded the unit number and its recipients for inventory after the harvest from first use of the kit.
The acting assistant agriculturist assured that OPag will monitor the use and upkeep of the donated machines as it had done with the previous recipients from the past two terms of the governor.
For this term’s three-fold distribution, 217 farmers’ organizations received their units on June 16, 128 on June 17 and the final 255 on June 21.
In an earlier interview, Gov. Espino, who will assume the fifth legislative district seat as the congress opens this July, eyes the chairmanship in the committee on agriculture and food to propel the welfare of the industry in the province.
/Rex Marion C. Laguerta
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