The National Irrigation Administration welcomed the appointment of Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr as the Secretary of Department of Agriculture as the government is striving to attain food security.
NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen said today that the appointment of Secretary Laurel is a big boost for the agriculture sector.
“Secretary Laurel’s knowledge in the agriculture and fisheries sector that he shared when he was with the agriculture group of the Private Sector Advisory Council can now be implemented. We see this as a huge boost in our campaign to attain self sufficiency and food security.”
Administrator Guillen also assured that the irrigation agency will be very cooperative of the programs that Secretary Laurel plans to implement.
“With NIA’s thrust to irrigate more farm lands and with Secretary Laurel’s knowledge of agriculture and fisheries, we are positive that the country’s food production potential may be realized soon.”
NIA is poised to irrigate 2.5 million hectares of agricultural lands by 2024 for two cropping seasons. Among the big projects that NIA may soon implement includes the development of multipurpose irrigation projects, solar pump projects and small irrigation projects. Upon completion, these irrigation projects are expected to contribute to the President’s directive to boost local rice production, and further lower rice prices in our public markets.
It can be recalled that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has officially appointed Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to the Department of Agriculture (DA) after more than a year of heading the agency. Secretary Laurel was touted by Marcos as his fitting successor to the agency because of his knowledge with the needs of the agriculture and fisheries sector.
