The National Irrigation Administration in Davao Region (NIA-11) handed over Wednesday a newly completed irrigation project worth PHP136.6 million to an irrigators association in Davao del Sur.

The TAKASOTA Irrigators Association (IA) Inc., consisting of 35 farmer-members, will reap the benefits of the Tanwalang Small Irrigation Project in Barangay Tanwalang, Sulop town.

The project covers 300 hectares of land in Tanwalang, Katipunan, Solongvale, and Tala-oi villages, from which the acronym TAKASOTA was derived.

The multi-year project started in 2018 and comprises a diversion dam and appurtenant irrigation facilities.

In his speech during the turnover, TAKASOTA IA president Arnulfo Cababat expressed gratitude to the government and promised to ensure the project’s sustainability.

“We will take good care of it because this is for our future. At last, the irrigation system that we had dreamed of has finally become a reality,” he said.

Meanwhile, engineer Dexter Tinapay, the NIA-11 acting division manager, said the project is designed with the help of the local and provincial governments and barangay officials.

“We are committed to continue to monitor and provide intervention if there is a problem along the way,” he said in an interview, adding that local irrigators should adopt new farming technologies to achieve sustainability. (PNA)