The members of the San Joaquin Agrarian ReformBeneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (San Joaquin ARB-MPC) in barangay San
Antonio, Basco, Batanes have found a way to harvest and store rainwater to
supply the much needed fresh water for their vegetable farms during periods
where water supply is scarce such as droughts and during months of insufficient
rainfall in the typhoon path island province of Batanes in northern Philippines.
The situation is further complicated as the available land for these vegetable
farms are also located right beside the shores of the great Pacific Ocean.
The San Joaquin ARB-MPC is an agrarian reform
beneficiary organization located within the San Antonio Agrarian Reform
Community (San Antonio ARC). An ARC is a barangay at the minimum or a cluster
of contiguous barangays where there is a critical mass of farmers and farm
workers awaiting the full implementation of agrarian reform. The farmers and
the farm workers will anchor the integrated development of the area.
Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting
rainwater for household water use, additionally, water for livestock and small
irrigation. Also, it is a means to replenish groundwater levels. The common mode of
rainwater harvesting is through rooftop rainwater harvesting projects. This
activity addresses issues of ground water depletion brought about in part by
global warming. There are reasons for ground water depletion such as: (1) Increasing
demand of ground water; (2) Extracting more than recharge; (3) Reduction of
recharge area due to infrastructure, road asphalting/concreting, (4) Shrinking
surface water bodies; and (5) Uncertain rainfall due to climate change.
For centuries the town of Venice depended on rainwater
harvesting because the lagoon surrounding Venice is made of brackish water
which is not suitable for human drinking. The ancient residents of Venice developed
a system of rainwater collection in order to have water to drink. As Venice acquired
territories on the mainland, it started to import water by boat from local
rivers.
At present, rainwater harvesting is being practiced around
the world to counter the effects of climate change and has been adopted and
intensified in other countries such as in Bermuda, where they have a law that requires
all new construction to include rainwater harvesting adequate for the
residents. The U.S. Virgin Islands also have a similar law. In Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau, there are houses that are frequently equipped with homemade rainwater
harvesters. In Myanmar, the groundwater is saline and communities rely on
mud-lined rainwater ponds to meet their drinking water needs throughout the dry
season. Some of these ponds are centuries old and are treated with great
reverence and respect. In New Mexico, rainwater catchment is mandatory for new
dwellings in Santa Fe. In the USA, Texas offers a sales tax exemption on the
purchase of rainwater harvesting equipment. Oklahoma passed a law in 2012, to
promote pilot projects for rainwater use among other water saving techniques. In
Beijing, some housing societies are now adding rainwater in their main water
sources after proper treatment (source: Wikipedia).
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| The rainwater harvesting facility helps mitigate the devastating effects of climate change and provides some relief for agrarian reform beneficiaries engaged in organic vegetable production. |
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| DAR Region 02 Regional Director Homer P. Tobias, CESO III, climbing to the roof to inspect the rainwater harvesting facility of the San Joaquin ARB-MPC. |
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| Rainwater collects on the roof and is stored in these tanks for future use. |
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| Freshwater always made available through the rainwater harvesting facility for vegetable farms like these situated along the Pacific Ocean. |
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| The P1.9 million BUB-GPB funded rainwater harvesting facility of San Joaquin ARB-MPC in barangay San Antonio, Basco, Batanes. |
