DAR builds Solar Pump Irrigation System in ARCs in Cagayan province

The Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office of Cagayan-Batanes (DARPO Cagayan-Batanes) has provided funds thru its DAR Central Office, for the construction of the initial three (3) solar pump irrigation system in Cagayan province with technology provided by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soil and Water Management (DA-BSWM). The project costs approximately P877,500.00 per site.

The Solar Pump Irrigation System project will provide solar panels and control accessories that will generate solar energy. Submersible water pumps will draw water from an underground source into concrete water tanks as storage,  and the water from the storage tank shall flow into the vegetable farms through pipes. 

The three pilot sites for the solar pump irrigation systems are located in Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs), specfically: (1) San Esteban Farmers Cooperative in the Eastern Alcala Agrarian Reform Community (Eastern Alcala ARC) in the municipality of Alcala; (2) Lasvinag Multi-Purpose Cooperative in the Lasvinag Agrarian Reform Community (Lasvinag ARC) in the municipality of Gattaran; and (3) Nabbotuan Multi-Purpose Cooperative in the Furaban Agrarian Reform Community (Furaban ARC) in the municipality of Solana. 

On December 18, 2017, an Operation and Maintenance Seminar was conducted to prepare the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBO) members to be able to properly operate and maintain the facilities with a site visit to familiarize the participants with the system.

The Solar Pump Irrigation System resolves the vegetable farmers’ water supply challenges specially with today’s devastating effects of climate change. When operational, they can utilize the systems to provide water to irrigate their vegetable farms, household water supply, livestock raising, etc. The construction of solar pump irrigation systems in the pilot sites are expected to be completed by the end of January 2018 and will be turned over to the ARBO immediately after completion.  

Solar panels provide energy to run the water pumps in vegetable farms with no access to electricity. 

A training on the operation and maintenance was conducted for the recipient-operators of the project. 

Members of the three ARBO-recipients of the project in Cagayan undergo training on operation and maintenance. 

Unlimited water for vegetable farmers through the solar pump (submersible) irrigation system. 

 

CABAYABASAN ARB COOP COOKS WITH FREE UNLI METHANE GAS

Another agrarian reform beneficiary organization (ARBO), that is, Cabayabasan Farmers Credit Cooperative in the Nueva Segovia Agrarian Reform Community in Lallo, Cagayan province is now enjoying the benefits of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s CPWASH project.

Methane is an important natural gas commonly used for fuel and electricity generation. 

A CPWASH is a potable water project implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) which stands for Community-Managed Potable Water Supply and Hygiene project. It is a regular project being undertaken by DAR to install low-cost water supply technology and sanitation systems that provides safe, clean and potable water for the agrarian reform beneficiary households in Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs).

The first chamber of the bio-gas digester.

A CPWASH project is composed of four sub-projects, that is: (1) the rain water collector to hoard and store rainwater to be recycled before it reaches the aquifer; (2) the bio-sand filter to remove pathogens and suspended particles and reduce discoloration, odor and unpleasant taste; (3) the iron removal filter, to filter iron from the water to eliminate staining, the unpleasant smell and taste of the water; and (4) the bio-gas digester to convert organic waste into usable fuel. Funds for the projects are sourced from DAR and some counterpart from the LGU and the proponent cooperative/ARBO.

The second chamber of the bio-gas digester under construction. 

Unlimited bio-gas fuel for cooking is now available for the beneficiaries through the methane from the bio-gas digester. The raw materials for methane production comes from the animal waste of swine raised by the ARBs. As such, significantly large costs for cooking fuel is saved by ARBs. The ARB households have also stopped the traditional use of firewood as fuel for cooking in the community. The output from the digester (digested waste) can also be used as a high quality organic liquid fertilizer which can be sold for farmers at a much lower price than commercial fertilizers.

The second chamber being attached to the first chamber bio-gas digester which is later cemented. 

Farmers who have completed the CPWASH hands-on training will also be given Certificates of Training as Para-Engineers and can be summoned to build other CPWASH facility on other sites, which is another business opportunity for them or their cooperatives. 

The completed and installed operational bio-gas digester already producing methane gas fuel.

Installing the water filters.  Photos courtesy of Engr. Domingo Garello

Inspecting the Bio-gas facility, now the source of unlimited earth-friendly fuel gas for cooking.

Trying out the improvised gas burner. 

Turn-over by DARPO Cagayan to LGU Lallo of Kabayabas CPWASH Project. 

Inspecting the potable water after passing through the Iron Removal Filter. 

Photos courtesy of: Engr. Domingo Garello, Ms. Emely Salvatierra and Ms. Issandra Miguel