Ilocos norte: The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is making significant strides in its initiative to install solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) across agrarian reform communities in Ilocos Norte. As of February, the project status report reveals that DAR has completed 16 out of the 21 targeted units, with plans to finalize the remaining installations before the year concludes, according to DAR Ilocos Norte chief agrarian reform program officer Rommel Aquino.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DAR and the provincial government allocated a PHP50 million budget for this project, formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed on June 26, 2024. This initiative is part of the broader Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) project, which aims to alleviate the financial burden on farmers by significantly reducing production costs. The solar-powered systems are expected to cut costs by around 60 percent, eliminating the need for gasoline-powered generators.

Beneficiaries like Crisner Lagazo from Barangay Sulbec, Pasuquin town, have praised the impact of the SPIS. "Solar irrigation is a big help to farmers like us. With steady and affordable water, it allows us to plant more and earn more," Lagazo stated. The project is particularly beneficial in remote areas suffering from water shortages, where the provincial government and DAR are focusing their efforts to enhance productivity amid escalating oil prices.

The two types of solar-irrigation units being deployed include a PHP1.3 million model that can irrigate three to five hectares, and a more extensive PHP5 million model covering eight to ten hectares, ensuring that varying needs of the farmers are met effectively.