Archives

Vol. 2 No. 5
March 1-15, 2001
Irrigation and drainage RDE agenda
by Thea Kristina M. Pabuayon

Members of the newly created Irrigation and Drainage RDE Network presented their proposed National Integrated RDE Agenda and Programs (NIRDEAPs) in the first Consultation Workshop with the Farmer/Fisherfolk Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC) last 8 March.

Present were Asst. Network leader Dr. Victor Ella, BAR Director Eliseo Ponce, selected staff from the BAR National Programs Division (NPD) and representatives from the Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association, and the Comprehensive Irrigation Research and Development Umbrella Program.

In the absence of Network Leader Wilfredo David, Dr. Ella presented the drafted NIRDEAP. According to Dr. Ella, five major issues will be addressed in the field of irrigation and drainage development: poor performance and drainage development; high cost of irrigation development; absence of credit to shallow tube well (STW) advocates; high tariffs on irrigation equipment; and negative policies to irrigation.

The agenda will be anchored on two points: strengthening the irrigation and drainage RDE network and the continuous collection, management and upgrading of land and water resources/data for irrigation and drainage system design and technology development.

A 10-point program shall be followed:

1. Aquifer characterization
   Collection and analysis of information on groundwater levels and lithology shall be conducted. However, Dr. Ella mentioned that there should be more data collection in order to generate full baseline information
   
   
2. Assessment of surface water potentials for irrigation and drainage development
   This shall involve the identification of potential sites for diversion dams and storage reservoirs, studies on land use changes, improvement of hydrologic data, and climatologic characterization of the catchment areas.
   
   
3. Identification and zoning of potentially irrigable areas where various modes of irrigation are technically feasible.
   
   
4. Development and performance improvement of irrigation and drainage systems and technologies.
   

   Specifically, pumps and prime movers for irrigation and drainage shall be improved. This will involve improvements on the technique on small-scale high lift pumping systems and low-cost drilling rigs.
   
   

5. Identification, suitability assessment, packaging and field demonstration of appropriate irrigation and drainage system technologies.
   
   
6. Development of improved irrigation and drainage design criteria and parameters
   

   The focus will be on small water impounding projects, small farm reservoir, shallow tube well irrigation, and national and communal irrigation systems.
   
   

7. Irrigation and water resources protection and capacity enhancement for sustainable development.
   
   
8. Development of operationalization of an irrigation and drainage sub-sector monitoring and evaluation system.
   
   
9. Enhancement of institutional technical capability, mechanism and arrangement for irrigation and drainage systems.
   
   
10. Development of policy recommendations based on socio-economic, environmental and gender-related concerns in irrigation and drainage development.

Prior to approval, the NIRDEAP is still to be reviewed by the Senior Scientists Advisory Committee and the Council on Extension, Research and Development for Agriculture and Fisheries.

March 1-15 2001 Articles:

:: BAR delivers in CY 2000
:: ERP reappointed as BAR director
:: Irrigation and drainage RDE agenda
:: BAR to support FIDA in reorienting its R&D focus
:: ACAP holds biennial convention
:: BAR awards P1.5M in publication grant to MSI scientist
:: BAR to hold first quarter meeting of RIARCs

::: More March 2001 articles :::