AENGR 3412 are a living proof of Filipino receive assistance from NIA.

IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ingenuity. With primitive tools However, IAs must pay back to
and technology they transformed NIA 10 percent of the direct cost
 Brief History of Irrigation in the mountains into terraced lands. of construction or rehabilitation
World They used surface runoff or spring of irrigation systems. PD 552 also
 Documented history indicates wate from higher lands. As many implied that communal IAs must
that irrigation has been practiced of us know, these rice terraces be viable and capable of
for long, long time. We know are considered one of the collecting payments from
from laws handed down by early wonders of the world because of farmers.
rulers that people in those times their unique features.   1975 – NIA entered into tie-up
irrigated already their crops. The  The zanjeras (Spanish term for with the Farm Systems
laws of Hammurabi, 6th King of turnout, ditch or conduit) of Development Corporation (FSDC).
Babylon offer one example. When Ilocos Norte. Under this partnership, NIA would
the bank of canal gave way and continue to construct communal
water carried away the meadow,  American Colonization (20th irrigation systems and FSDC
the person who failed to keep the Century) would organize the corresponding
bank in good shape was told to IAs. But the partnership was
replace the losses. A queen of   1908 – The government became short-lived. After only a few
Egypt in about 2000 BC ordered involved in irrigation activities years, it was terminated because
that water from the Nile river be through the Irrigation Division of of failures to coordinate the
diverted to irrigate the deserts. BPW. technical and institutional aspects
 In China, land was reclaimed   1912 – The Irrigation Act 2152 of irrigation development.
more than 4000 years ago. An authorized the Irrigation Division   1976 – NIA launched the
irrigation dam was built about to appropriate public waters, Participatory Pilot Projects in
200 BC to irrigate some half- investigate, construct, operate, Laur, Nueva Ecija. The projects
million acres of rice fields. At and maintain irrigation systems; were aimed at testing the
about the same time, a water collect ISF from farmers; and effectiveness of the community
ladder, widely used as pumping formalize the concept of irrigation organizing approach in eliciting
device, was invented in China. associations as legal entities. active involvement of IAs in the
 In India and Ceylon, reservoirs   1916 – Act 2652 authorized the physical rehabilitation of the two
were built more than 2000 years granting of loans to private communal irrigation systems
ago. Writings dated at about 300 irrigation systems that were (Bagting-Siclong and
BC showed that almost the whole owned and operated by Pinagbaryuhan CIS).
of Ceylon was irrigated. That organized associations of   1979 – The NIA participatory
made double cropping possible landowners that had service areas program was expanded to two
and Ceylon became prosperous. of not more than 25 ha. additional communal irrigation
Modern irrigation technology was   1924 – The Irrigation Division systems (Aslong and Taisan) in
first applied to irrigation during was downgraded to a mere Camarines Sur.
the 19th century in India. Large section of the Design Division of  1980 – All communal irrigation
scale irrigation then followed in the BPW. system projects adopted the
the southern part of US. Many participatory approach.
barrages or river dams were built   1991 – The Local Government
in India, Pakistan, Egypt and Iraq  Japanese Regime (1937-1945) Code (LGC) was promulgated,
during the first quarter of the directing all national agencies of
19th century.  No significant irrigation government to devolve their
development has occurred. Most functions to the local government
 Brief History of Irrigation in the of the irrigation systems during units (LGUs). LGU was authorized
Philippines this period turned in poor to use their own funds for
condition. infrastructure projects to develop
 Pre-Spanish and Spanish Period CIS, SWIP, and the like.
(17th-19th Century)  Philippine Independence   1997 – The Agriculture and
Fisheries Modernization Act
 Spanish colonizers, many of   1945 – The Irrigation Division (AFMA) or RA 8435 was
whom found their way in the was reactivated. promulgated, directing NIA to
Philippines, also introduced the   1963 – The Philippine Congress hand over the management of
idea of diverting and conveying created the National Irrigation communal irrigation systems to
water to the farms. Soon after the Administration through Republic LGUs.
Spaniards landed in the Act 3601.
Philippines in 1521, they   1974 – The Martial Law  Irrigation and Drainage
introduced the art and practice of administration of Pres. F.E. Definitions and Objectives
irrigation in the island Marcos promulgated Presidential Irrigation is generally defined as the
archipelago. The Banaue rice Decree (PD) 552 authorizing artificial application of water to the soil
terraces in the Mountain Province communal irrigation systems to
necessary to supply the moisture
essential for plant growth. Drainage on
the othe hand, refers to the removal of
excess water from the soil that is
detrimental to
plants.

From the definition of the two

concepts, we should appreciate that
the soil must be supplied with the right
amount of water for optimum plant
growth and development. Rainfall is a
natural process of adding moisture to
the soil but it can result to excessive
water, a problem that can be remedied
by drainage. The objectives of
irrigation and drainage can be
enumerated as follows:

1. To provide readily available moisture

for plant growth.
2. To provide crop insurance against
droughts and extremely dry conditions.
3. To create a favorable physical and
soil atmosphere environment for plant
growth.
4. To enhance the removal of excess
salts or other harmful chemicals from
the soil.
5. To soften tillage pans, and clods to
make cultivation easier.
6. To ensure proper soil aeration and
movement of plant nutrients.
7. To prevent waterlogging or
accumulation of excess water which
may become detrimental to plant
growth and land cultivation.
8. To apply chemicals and fertilizers
through fertigation.