The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) kicked off its 13th NIA-Irrigators Association Congress in Davao City on December 2, 2024, drawing over 300 members from the Davao Region and NIA’s central office. The two-day event, which concluded on Tuesday, aimed to tackle sustainability issues and enhance inter-agency collaboration to improve irrigation systems across the region.
Jimmy Apostol, the NIA-11 manager, highlighted the forum’s role as a vital platform for irrigators to voice their concerns on critical issues such as calamity response funds, dam rehabilitation, system upgrades, and mechanization. ‘This forum allows us to listen to their needs, which forms the foundation for developing their areas and boosting production,’ Apostol explained.
The congress also served as a platform to discuss NIA’s ongoing programs and projects designed to sustain irrigation systems and enhance farmers’ productivity. Apostol emphasized the importance of working closely with partner agencies to develop solutions that benefit all stakeholders.
Engr. C’zar Sulaik, NIA’s deputy administrator for the engineering and operations sector, stressed the need to address climate change challenges during the forum. ‘This event is essential for planning, especially in adapting cropping calendars to climate conditions,’ Sulaik noted, reaffirming NIA’s commitment to constructing more irrigation facilities to help farmers tackle climate challenges and increase productivity.
Jerry Barayuga, president of the Lower Saosao Irrigators Association and the provincial federation of IAs in Davao de Oro, praised the congress for providing irrigators with a platform to connect with national government agencies. ‘The collaborative efforts significantly impact our associations and are crucial for achieving food security in the region,’ Barayuga stated.
The event underscored the importance of cross-agency collaboration in creating sustainable and effective irrigation systems that will support the farming communities in the Davao Region.