OTHER PROJECT COMPONENTS IN COORDINATION WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND ENTITIES
Construction and repair/rehabilitation of service and access roads within irrigation systems. Service roads on embankments of major canals are linked with roads leading to villages or towns. Access roads link the irrigation systems to provincial or national roads. Service and access roads also serve as farm-to-market roads. NIA coordinates with DPWH and DA in road construction and rehabilitation.
Development of agrarian reform communities (ARC). NIA implements the irrigation support component in the development of ARCs in coordination with the Department of Agrarian Reform. The irrigation component entails the generation of new areas and rehabilitation of existing areas, and organization and development of farmer-beneficiaries.
Technical assistance to local government units (LGU) and other interested parties. NIA extends technical assistance on irrigation development and management to LGUs and other parties intending to implement irrigation projects.
Resettlement sites for families displaced by irrigation projects are developed along modern concepts of town planning and development. Facilities provided include electric power, domestic water supply, sewerage system, public buildings, and other basic amenities. The sites are also provided with all-weather intrasite road networks for easy access by the residents and those from neighboring towns.
Watershed protection. NIA has been implementing irrigation projects with watershed management component in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The two agencies forged a Memorandum of Agreement on the protection of watersheds above irrigation systems in June 2002. The MOA defines the responsibilities of the two agencies in the conservation and management of watersheds.
Schistosomiasis control. For some foreign-assisted projects, NIA undertook the infrastructure aspect of schistosomiasis control in endemic areas in new and existing irrigation systems. This included improvement of drainage system, construction/rehabilitation of irrigation canal networks, and widening, realigning, and deepening existing creeks and natural channels to serve as drainage canals to eradicate the breeding grounds of the snails. The Department of Health implemented the health aspect which aimed to instill public awareness on the nature, prevention, and control of schistosomiasis.
Flood control management is coordinated with DPWH.
Hydropower generation. NIA used to coordinate with the National Power Corporation (NPC) on the hydropower generation in multipurpose projects. However, with the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, hydropower components of multipurpose irrigation projects are now proposed to be implemented by interested private companies or entities under the Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) or Public-Private Partnership scheme.
Provision of other agricultural support services. NIA coordinates with the DA and LGUs on the provision of other agricultural support services to the farmer-beneficiaries of irrigation systems. These services include: post harvest facilities; access to seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides; farmer-training and extension services; access to agricultural credit; marketing; and others.