Philippines Substantial Government Investments in Agriculture
A top official of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) said that government would step up its campaign against land conversion as substantial government investments in agriculture would be lost if landowners continue to convert their farmlands into commercial, industrial and residential areas.
NIA Administrator Antonio S. Nangel over the weekend warned landowners whose farmlands are covered by NIA’s irrigation service areas, and subsequently converted into other estate, would affect the country’s food sufficiency program.
Nangel said the unabated land conversions from agricultural lands to commercial, industrial and residential would slow down the government agriculture target to be a rice sufficient country by next year.
The government is infusing substantial amount of funds this year with P24.7 billion for irrigation projects, including dams, canals, other water facilities to boost agriculture productivity across the country.
“With this huge investment it would be a big loss for the government if landowners would convert their farmlands into other land ventures,” Nangel said.
Nangel during a press conference on Thursday here said that land conversions cases have been reported in other regions specifically in Southern Luzon — Calabarzon (Cavite, Quezon, Batangas, Laguna and Rizal) and the Bicol region.