Irrigated land area up 2.6% in 2019 at 1.97 million hectares
IRRIGATED land in 2019 expanded 2.6% year-on-year to 1.97 million hectares, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In its Agricultural Indicators report, the PSA said the current land area serviced by irrigation facilities accounts for 63% of all irrigable land, estimated at 3.13 million hectares.
CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) and MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) regions had the biggest increases in irrigated land at 7.4% and 6.7%, respectively.
“The country’s total service area equipped with an irrigation system increased yearly by an average of 3.3% for the period of 2015 to 2019,” the PSA said.
Between 2015 and 2019, the National Irrigation System (NIS) was the top irrigation provider with an average share of 45.5%.
Other irrigation providers include the Communal Irrigation System (CIS) at 35.5%, private irrigation systems at 9.8%, and other government agencies at 9.2%.
The NIS provides water for the Cagayan Valley, Davao Region, BARMM, and SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City), among others. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
