LAOAG CITY – Several farmers in Piddig, Ilocos Norte are among the first in Ilocos Norte to adopt an eco-friendly solar powered pump to irrigate their rice and vegetable crops.
By harnessing the heat of the sun, residents of Tanggaoan and Ab-abot save an average of 250 pesos per day as they no longer need to pay for gasoline when watering their plants.
Marcos Pascual, president of the farmers association said they are grateful to the local government unit of Piddig for helping them in reducing the cost of their farming inputs.
Generating an average of one gallon per 21 seconds, the solar water pump project was granted by the Department of Agriculture as assistance to Piddig farmers without irrigation system.
In time for the summer season, the Piddig municipal government also plans to establish four more units of solar power pumps to improve the farming production of non-irrigated farmlands.
Each solar pump costs about PHP200,000.
In September last year, Piddig town was able to request a hydraulic drilling equipment courtesy of DA for the installation of the solar power pumps. PNA-northboundasia.com