When Farmers’ Concerns Reach the Planning Table
OZAMIZ CITY - NIA Administrator Engr. Eddie G. Guillen met with irrigators and local government representatives in Misamis Occidental to discuss irrigation concerns, infrastructure needs, and support for farming communities. Members of the Misamis Occidental Federation of Irrigators’ Associations Inc. (MOCOFFIA) shared concerns involving irrigation infrastructure and operations. Federation president Edwin A. Gamolo expressed appreciation for NIA’s efforts to bring its services and programs closer to farmers while also hoping for continued assistance. The conversation gives the agricultural sector a more direct space to raise the practical issues that affect farming activities.
Looking Beyond the Meeting Room
The provincial visit also included an inspection of the Tudela-Clarin Diversion Weir, where NIA officials assessed its condition, rehabilitation requirements, and possible expansion of irrigation coverage. The structure had sustained significant damage during a shear line event in December 2022, affecting irrigation-water delivery to agricultural areas. Representatives from several irrigators’ organizations, including the Tudela Farmers Irrigators Association Inc., Lupadel Irrigators Association Inc., and Mialen-Lupagan-Pan-ay Farmers Irrigators Agricultural Cooperative, joined the discussions. Rather than focusing only on infrastructure itself, the meeting also considered how irrigators’ groups can be strengthened to help manage irrigation facilities and support agricultural production.
Why This Matters to the Wider Ozamiz Community
For a city closely connected to the surrounding province, agricultural developments in Misamis Occidental offer a useful reminder that farming support extends beyond the farm gate. Irrigation affects the ability of agricultural areas to receive and manage water, making infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation important subjects for farming communities. The September consultation also showed that the conversation is not limited to construction work, since capacity-building for irrigators’ associations was included in the discussions. It is a grounded story about farmers being heard, technical concerns being examined, and government agencies looking at concrete measures that could strengthen agricultural support in the province.
