Responsive to this situation, the Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILARRDEC) and the Gender and Development (GAD) Office of the university conducted a seminar on water-saving technologies for agriculture, June 11, at the University Training Center.

Prof. Beatriz Malab, Mr. Dionisio Bucao, and engineer Rodel Utrera of the MMSU Research and Development Directorate served as speakers on topics discussed in a conference they earlier attended at the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) in Los Baños, Laguna. Taken up in the seminar were: state of water for agriculture, policies and regulations supporting water resources development in the Philippines, irrigation development, water harvesting technologies, waste water reuse for irrigation, ground water utilization for irrigation, inventory of water-saving technologies in irrigated rice production, and socio-economics and environmental considerations.

Attended by ILARRDEC member agencies, MMSU GAD coordinators, and staff members of the Ilocos Norte Population Commission Office, the seminar sought to provide a venue for sharing knowledge and experiences on water-saving technologies, techniques, strategies, and approaches applicable to agricultural production operations. It also aimed to identify the issues and constraints in non-adoption of technologies and the possible solutions to address the constraints.

Prolonged dry spell due to climate changes contributes in the drying up of water sources. Significant decline and deterioration of watersheds affect supply and availability of water resources itself. The high level of water loss due to defective irrigation facilities and inefficient water use is another contributing factor to water shortage.

Water resources management is one of the priority programs of ILARRDEC and is included in the Science and Technology Agenda of PCARRD. (Sherlyn B. Nicolas)