President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is eyeing the installation of thousands of solar-powered irrigation units to back up farmers in their harvests, especially during the onslaught of the El Niño phenomenon in the country.

Marcos, speaking during the ceremonial palay harvesting and distribution of various assistance for farmers in Barangay Mandili, Candaba, Pampanga on Saturday, stressed the urgent need to prepare for the impacts of the drought season, particularly to the agricultural sector.

The President said he already discussed the initiative with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. after their recent visit to Vietnam—the top exporter of rice to the Philippines.

Marcos cited that Vietnam’s use of solar technology in agriculture can be replicated in the Philippines.

“Ngayong taon, palalawakin din natin ang patubig para sa mga sakahan sa pamamagitan ng Philippine, ito ‘yung sinasabi ko, Philippine Solar- irrigation Project na mga Small-scale Irrigation Projects upang mapataas ang produksyon at kita ng ating mga magsasaka (This year, we will expand the irrigation for our farmlands through the Philippine Solar Irrigation Project for small-scale irrigation projects to increase the production and income of farmers),” he said.

Each solar-powered irrigation unit will be capable of powering up irrigation pumps for 20 hectares.

“Libu-libo itong aming pinaplano na ilalagay at iniisip na nga namin kung papaano sa budget, kung saan kukunin (We will install thousands of these and we are already discussing where to source out the budget for the project),” said Marcos.

Marcos ordered the DA to work on the budget—which includes the supply chain, harvesting, processing, and marketing of produce—to help the small-scale farmers.

Once the Philippine Solar Irrigation Project is completed, Marcos said the country will have an additional 180,000 hectares of irrigable land and allow for third cropping.

The DA previously identified solar-powered irrigation as one of the mitigation measures against the El Niño phenomenon.

In a media interview last month, Laurel said the DA will implement the intervention, along with the creation of more water-impounding areas and facilities.

The DA recently reported that the El Niño climate phenomenon had affected farmers in Western Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula, with at least P109.44 million lost in their farm inputs recorded.

The prolonged dry spell in the two regions hit 2,602 farmers tilling 2,177 hectares of land, with an estimated volume of production loss to be at 4,738 metric tons—most of which were rice produce.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration earlier said a “strong El Niño” will prevail over the country until February, while the global climate models predict it would persist until May.