NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.

The problems of some municipalities in the Agricultural Province of Bohol regarding the sources of water for farming to include vegetables and fresh water fish productions have been gradually solved.

The PGBh hired as consultant former Provincial Irrigation Manager CalixtoSeroje to study the establishment of Small Farm Reservoirs (SFRs) to the waterless areas.

Marjoe Rey Labonite, Head-Research and Agri-Support Services (RASS) Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) said that the team of Engr. Seroje had identified 104 sites from the nine municipalities for the establishment of SFRs.

Labonite said the PGBh has already allocated P5.2 million through Agriculture for Rural Transformation (ART) Community Engagement Project for the SFRs whose cost for labor per site is P44,000.

He disclosed that about 28 of the 104 SFRs were completely constructed in the towns of Pilar (15 sites), Trinidad nine, Talibon two, and San Miguel two.

Actually, Labonite clarified that in Pilar there are 17 being identified, Trinidad 14, Talibonfive, and San Miguel 10.

Other ideal areas for the construction of SFRs are in Buenavista which has 18 sites, Danao 14, Getafe 10 and Alicia 6.

He said the project is very useful to contain the soil and water for rice, vegetables, and Tilapia productions.

It could also generate employment among Boholano farmers’ organizations/associations because of the labour component of the program that requires laborers to do the construction of an SFR which has an area of 300 sq.m. (15ms. x 20ms.)with 1.5ms. depth.

Last week, about 280 farmers of the 28 sites had received P4, 400 each as the salary for the 10 days of work of the SFRs.

Labonite clarified that each SFR has to be constructed by the organization/association consisting of 10 members using the carabao to plow the surface area of the site. (AtoyCosap)