Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija - Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. announced in a recent Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall meeting here that the government is ramping up efforts to expand irrigated land and promote urban agriculture.Represented by Dr. Eduardo L. Lapuz Jr., regional executive director of DA-Regional Field Office III, Tiu Laurel emphasized that the government’s efforts are not just about increasing agricultural production, but also ensuring the resilience and sustainability of the sector. “Local farmers and the entire agricultural sector are essential to the country’s development. By expanding irrigation and promoting urban farming, we’re not only safeguarding our food supply but also providing farmers with the tools to adapt to the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity,” he said during the two-day Lakbay Palay conducted by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).Expanding irrigation coverage is a priority in the Department of Agriculture’s four-year plan while recently, it partnered with the Department of Health to promote urban farming in public hospitals. The Secretary also emphasized the government’s goal to make underutilized land more productive for planting to achieve food self-sufficiency and provide more affordable, nutritious agricultural products.In support of these government priorities, PhilRice, in collaboration with Central Luzon State University and the National Irrigation Administration, showcased the mobile solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS) at the FutureRice Farm, which gained interest from participants. The SPIS, designed to provide reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy for irrigation has the potential to save up to P1/m³ of water compared to conventional fuel-powered pumps.Farmer Conrado Hidalgo from Tayug, Pangasinan, expressed his enthusiasm for the demonstrated machine.“Apart from the 600 series of rice varieties, I’m very interested in the SPIS, which I believe will help us farmers in better managing field water supply,” he said. Assistant Secretary Joey M. Villarama, spokesperson for the Task Force El Niño and Calamities and Natural Disasters, highlighted the need for farmers to adapt to changing conditions. Represented by Sheryll Anne Mundo, director III of the Presidential Communications Office’s Print Media Communications Office, Villarama recounted a story of a farmer in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, who suffered heavy losses due to reliance on outdated rice varieties and traditional farming practices.“It’s hard to let go of what we’re used to, but we all know the climate is changing. Now, more than ever, we must embrace modern knowledge and technology in farming,” Villarama stressed.In addition to the SPIS demonstration, more than a thousand farmers and students learned about Palaymanan, a rice-based farming system, which integrates hydroponics tower garden, the Sorjan cropping system, mushroom production, and other urban agriculture activities to optimize farming in a limited space.Lakbay Palay participants also explored PhilRice experimental fields, learned about rice farming technologies, and gathered information from agencies implementing the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund programs.