Drinking Water for 500 Threatened Farmers

The original plan of pumping out water through solar power still stands for the Lupang Ramos farmers.  A review of the previous water source necessitates a  more feasible option in terms of volume and accessibility and ultimately affordable investment cost for the system.   Currently, our engineers and technicians together with some  community members walk through various sites in search for a new water hole and hoping to find a viable source.   Previous assessment showed  deep dive aquifers close to 100 feet deep which would be costly to develop

Community members decided to engage the services of water drillers to search shallow water sources  where tube well systems could be applied.  The usually temperate climate of the area is tempered with local weather changes compounding the problem.   Surrounded by commercial establishments, the community farm land can only muster secondary growth trees and shrubs in its peripheries.  This is not enough to establish a water catchment equivalent to a densely populated vegetation.  Hence water availability has suffered.

Cropping systems especially for rice and corn would be calendared according to seasons.  Normally, the first major cropping for staples starts at the onset of the rainy season likely in May and June.  But the erratic climate (rainy on a few days but followed by long droughts or too much of both) render difficulty in establishing a set pattern of cropping.  This means for  staple crops, farmers have to play up with the jumbled weather patterns which is unreliable.    Recently there’s scarcity of farm-grown food produce as the country is experiencing an unprecedented hot temperature reaching 40-50 degrees in some regions in the recent summer. Even long-drought tolerant crops like legumes and root crops succumbed to high temperatures resulting in a highly reduced output.   

With the still undeveloped water system, the community would have to contend with ambulant water vendors queuing with their containers to access water. Again the costly amount per container is really straining the limited budget of most households.   Others would have to stretch a container or two for household use only.  This delimit their opportunities to establish backyard vegetable and livestock production which could supplement food sources and income.

Already deprived of support from the LGUs who colluded with big business interested to get the land from the farmers, we could not expect too much from new or reelected officials in the recently concluded election to support the farmers of this needed utility service.

At any rate, ,the farmers while continue defending their land from intruders on one hand, would have to optimize their strength as an organized community  to develop their water system.  They are reaching to other groups and agencies that could help them.  This is where your support could come to realize their water project.

Links:

• http://sibat-apptech.org