When it rains, NIA, DSWD must work together

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) deserves recognition for bringing solar-powered irrigation technology closer to farmers in Northern Luzon. But as the country braces for the possible effects of a prolonged El Niño, the government must look beyond the fields and prepare for the impact of water shortages on entire communities.

NIA administrator Eduardo “Eddie” Guillen has repeatedly emphasized that farmers are the backbone of our communities. He is right. Protecting farmers means protecting food production, household incomes, and the country's food security.

Under the leadership of regional manager Geffrey Catulin, NIA Region I has expanded efforts to improve irrigation access in Ilocos Norte. Through the Ilocos Norte Irrigation Management Office, six solar-powered irrigation facilities have been turned over in Dingras and Piddig, using 15-horsepower pumps and serving agricultural communities in both municipalities.

These projects complement other solar-powered pumping units distributed to irrigators' associations, giving farmers additional options for accessing water while potentially reducing their dependence on costly fuel.

In Region II, NIA has also deployed mobile solar-powered pumps in Cagayan, where declining river levels have disrupted irrigation supplies. Under regional manager Raymundo B. Apil, the agency has pursued practical interventions to help farmers distribute available water, including through rotational irrigation arrangements.

These initiatives deserve continued support. They demonstrate how technology can help farmers manage limited water resources and sustain agricultural production during difficult cropping seasons.

But solar-powered pumps, useful as they are, cannot solve a fundamental problem: They can bring water to farms, but they cannot replenish a source that has already dried up.

That is why preparations for a possible severe El Niño must include water conservation, source protection, contingency planning, and coordination among government agencies.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should explore a convergence program with NIA and local government units to prepare communities for the possibility of prolonged water shortages.

The proposal is straightforward: While NIA helps farmers access available water through irrigation infrastructure, DSWD could explore supporting community-level emergency water purification and distribution systems for households affected by drought.

DSWD has already provided water-filtration kits to families in vulnerable communities. These efforts could be complemented, where technically feasible, by portable or mobile water-treatment systems capable of serving larger groups of residents.

Under this proposed arrangement, NIA could help identify available water sources and suitable pumping infrastructure. DSWD could assess how its existing assistance programs might support emergency water-treatment equipment and other essential needs. Local government units, meanwhile, could identify vulnerable barangays, establish distribution points, and coordinate the delivery of safe water to affected households.

Health authorities and qualified water-service providers must also be involved to ensure that treatment systems meet drinking water standards.

This distinction is critical. Water available for irrigation is not automatically safe for human consumption. Every proposed source must undergo proper assessment, treatment, and regular quality testing before being used for drinking.

The convergence program should also prioritize communities based on vulnerability, including areas with limited access to reliable water supplies, while ensuring that agricultural needs and household consumption are considered in water-allocation decisions.

This is not a proposal to divert NIA from its primary mandate. Rather, it is an opportunity to complement its work with the social protection responsibilities of DSWD and the disaster preparedness functions of local governments.

The government should not wait for reservoirs to fall, irrigation channels to run dry, or families to line up for emergency water before strengthening coordination.

Guillen, Catulin, Apil, and their respective teams deserve credit for advancing practical irrigation solutions. The next step is to build on these efforts through planning that recognizes the wider consequences of drought.

When farmers lose their crops, the effects reach markets and dining tables. When communities lose access to safe water, the crisis reaches every household.

NIA can help protect the harvest. DSWD can help protect vulnerable families. Working together with local government units and health authorities, they can prepare for a drought that threatens both.

When the rains fail, the government response must reach beyond the farms. It must reach the people, too.