Increased investment on irrigation a must, says Alyansa bet Binay
At A Glance
- Alansya para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial bet Makati City Mayor Abby Binay batted on Friday, Feb. 28 for increased government investment on irrigation in a bid to strengthen food security in the country.
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay (Mayor Binay's office)
Alansya para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial bet Makati City Mayor Abby Binay batted on Friday, Feb. 28 for increased government investment on irrigation in a bid to strengthen food security in the country.
Binay--speaking in a press conference with fellow Alyansa candidates at Hotel Ssvano in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, said her proposal would also benefit local farmers.
According to her, a significant portion of the country's agricultural potential remains untapped due to inadequate irrigation systems.
“We need to put more money into our irrigation,” Binay said.
The Makati mayor cited a statement from Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. that over a million hectares of flatland still remains unirrigated.
“Imagine the potential of those lands for us to achieve food security and not rely on the importation of food,” she said.
The lady mayor also noted other challenges faced by farmers, among them post-harvest facilities critical to ensuring the quality and shelf life of produce. “Clearly, the support we are giving is not enough, especially in key areas,” she said.
“But I believe we should begin with the most basic necessity, which is irrigation,” added Binay.
Investing in irrigation will enhance agricultural productivity, reduce dependency on food imports, and secure the nation's long-term food supply, the Senate hopeful said.