THE IMPORTANCE OF SWISA

The Bureau of Soils and Water Management is aggressively pushing for the wider coordination and cooperation of Small Water Irrigation System Association (SWISA) to support the vision of AGRI-PINOY FSSP through Secretary Proceso J. Alcala to achieve food sufficiency and sustainable agriculture in the country.

The FSSP is the Aquino government’s banner program armed at attaining sufficiency in rice and other major staples, increasing the productivity and income of small farmer empowering and making agricultural sector globally competitive.

BSWM Executive Director Silvino Q. Tejada said that the SWISA (Small Water Irrigation System Association ) Regional Congress will be held in all regions of the country to consult farmers in identifying the problem, issues and concern on small scale irrigation projects and to come up with needed-inputs for another tie-up between beneficiaries and the BSWM. The second regional congress is now being held in Iloilo City Region VI.

“What BSWM envision is that the farmer and the SWISA’s will be able to cooperate on measures how to improve further their capability to properly manage and operate their system and also introduce soils and water conservation extention program,” Tejada said.

Expected to attend the SWISA Regional Congress are the 130 rice producers, SWISA’s regional president, local government unit, and DA-RFU-Regional Agricultural Engineering Division.

SWISA’s were very active many years back in operating and maintenance of small water impounding project and diversion dam irrigation systems. But many of these SWISA’s become inactive even if many of SWIP’s that were established are still operational and in good condition according to the BSWM Director said. He added that because of this, many SWIP’s and Diversion Dam are not optimally utilized and conflicts among users emerged.

“An assessment of the current status as well as concern and key issues of SWISA’s are needed to determine the appropriate remedial measures to make them active and more participating again.” Director Tejada said. # Adapted, da.gov.ph