Norwegian Embassy taps crop solutions specialist for solar-powered water pumps

A farming community in Calapan Oriental Mindoro, is now enjoying a worry-free future in terms of rice productivity and sustainability with the turn-over of the solar-powered water pump project providing much-needed irrigation in Barangay Santa Cruz this year.

Dubbed “Agos para sa Masaganang Ani,” this solar-powered water pump project is being undertaken by sustainable crop nutrition solutions specialist Yara Fertilizers Philippines, Inc. (Yara), in cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

Its goal is to bring down the cost of irrigation in the barangay, which currently uses traditional water pumps running on diesel fuel. The project would result in better profitability and secured yields for the farmers plus reduced CO2 emissions as the pumps will no longer rely heavily on diesel fuel to draw in water and irrigate the land.

During the formal inauguration of the project earlier this month, Ambassador Christian Halaas Lyster shared that the government of Norway has always been supportive of projects that align with its advocacies such as climate change, environmental protection, and food security.

“Norway gives priority to increasing food security and transitioning to renewable energy. This project does both at the same time. We hope this pilot project is something that can be scaled across different regions of the Philippines, to ensure increased food production while decreasing the overall carbon footprint”, Lyster said.

The embassy has provided a P4 million grant for the project through Yara, which was used to source and install 16 units of solar-powered water pump that would benefit 55 farmers servicing 80 hectares of rice fields. Based on the current configuration, one water pump unit can irrigate up to five hectares of land.

As the 16 units have already been put in place, Yara will continuously engage with the farmers until April this year to monitor and evaluate the irrigation system’s performance as well as its impact on the productivity and profitability of the farmer-beneficiaries.

Michael Ardieta, Country Manager of Yara Fertilizers Philippines Inc., explained how the idea of installing solar-powered water pumps came about. “It’s always been Yara’s ambition to grow a nature-positive food future. Under that ambition is climate neutrality, regenerative agriculture, and prosperity.

He added that the most important theme for the project is prosperity.

During the acceptance ceremony that followed after the project’s inauguration, members of the farming community in Barangay Sta. Cruz shared their sentiments.

According to Homonobo Antenor, president of Barangay Sta. Cruz Farmers Association in Calapan, the project is a very big help to them.

Another project beneficiary, Susan Mendoza, expressed hope that the solar-powered water pump can help her recover from a dismal yield last planting season

During a courtesy call to Calapan City Mayor Marilou Morillo in her office, Ambassador Lyster shared that the Norwegian Embassy has always been supportive of the government’s renewable energy plans and that it has always looked for projects that can be upscaled or replicated.

For her part, Mayor Marilou Morillo expressed gratitude to the ambassador and his team for their support to Calapan City

“I’m so happy that Yara Philippines together with the Norwegian Embassy has helped our people a lot. As you can see, Calapan is more of an agricultural city and we really need these types of projects. I hope that this endeavor could serve as an opening for more cooperation between us. Thank you for visiting us here in Calapan, and helping our people,” said Morillo.