NIA launches KRC water, food projects

‘Under the MoU with South Korea’s Rural Community Corporation now being drafted, Korean experts and technical cooperation projects will support the NIA’s plan of implementing a comprehensive agriculture development program, alongside its irrigation projects’

The National Irrigation Administration is drafting a memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s Rural Community Corporation to create projects for food security, disaster prevention and climate change adaptation.

“Under the proposed memorandum with KRC, Korean experts and technical cooperation projects will support the NIA’s plan of implementing a comprehensive agriculture development program, alongside its irrigation projects,” NIA Administrator Engr. Eddie Guillen said last Thursday.

In a two-day visit last week in South Korea, Guillen toured the K Water Headquarters, K Water Integrated’s resources control center and Daechong Dam in Daejeon to study how Korean technologies can be adopted by the Philippines.

He said he expects the memorandum with KRC to be completed on 16 June.

KRC is the public enterprise of the Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which provides financial aid to the Philippine government every year.

Financial aid to be doubled

In a statement released by the ministry on 10 January, officials said they will double the financial aid to governments worldwide to $401.1 million.

Citing the ministry’s statement, Yonhap News Agency said “South Korea will help build smart farms and establish advanced systems for agricultural administration and statistics management in Asian nations and explore various projects with international organizations to help overcome the global food crisis.”

Engr. C’zar Sulaik, NIA deputy administrator for Engineering and Operations Sector, said officials have identified 12 areas for water distribution which are hydroelectric power, solar power, aquaculture, wind energy, bulk water supply, water treatment and carbon credits.

He said the move is part of the aggressive campaign for PPPs by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure the self-food sufficiency and mitigate the impact of climate change.

“NIA eyes Public-Private Partnerships to fast-track irrigation development which will further sustain the irrigation needs of the Filipino farmers and support President Bongbong Marcos’ call to strengthen food security,” Sulaik said.