De Venecia tells farmers: Be open to change
A total of 17 farmers and irrigators associations in Mangaldan and seven in Dagupan City not only received 41 units of water pumps to irrigate their farmlands but words of wisdom from 4th District Rep. Christopher de Venecia.
The occasion was the distribution of the irrigation facilities held on June 6 at the residence of De Venecia, attended by National Irrigation Administration Regional Director Vicente Vicmudo, and agriculture officers and some Dagupan councilors.
De Venecia advised the farmers to encourage their children to become experts in agriculture because he foresees that the Information Technology (IT) jobs like call centers that attracts them today will be lost in five years owing to growing robotics and automation systems.
Dagupan City and Mangaldan farmers happily pose for posterity on June 6 after receiving their irrigation pumps at the residence of Pangasinan 4th dist. Rep. Christopher de Venecia in Bonuan Binloc. (Punch photo by Eva Visperas)
“Some 1.5 million in the country will lose their jobs and there will be higher demand for work in agriculture since there will be bigger demand for food to feed a growing population.” he said.
He also advised the recipients to be open to change.
“Being a farmer is something you can be proud of,” De Venecia said, adding that they should be open to change that includes new technology and transforming their farms into agri-tourism sites, a concept advocated by Tourism Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
He mentioned the sunflower maze in Tayug with a pick and pay scheme, have a vineyard or horseback riding in the farm as examples.
He said agri-tourism has a great potential in uplifting the plight of the farmers. The water pumps can irrigate 2.5 hectares of farmlands planted with rice, corn and tobacco.
Meanwhile, Vicmudo said 102 units of new water pumps were already distributed to farmers in the fourth district as part of the government program to provide free irrigation to the farmers.
He said the government is spending less for irrigation this way than putting up a water reservoir or dam that costs hundreds of millions, adding that water pumps are more advantageous because these are portable and can be used even in upland areas where irrigation canals is impossible.
Vicmudo added the construction of the Bantay Buenlag Irrigation System, Pila Irrigation System, Nacasalan Irrigation system, Dumuloc Irrigation System, Agno River Irrigation extension projects are all ongoing.
He said at present, there are 181 hectares irrigable areas in the province, but only 100 hectares are irrigated and 81 hectares still have no irrigation system.
NIA, he said, is still considering to build the ALABAMA (Alaminos, Bani and Mabini) dam or water reservoir which was strongly opposed by residents. (Eva Visperas/Nora Dominguez)
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