UNIT 1

INTRODUCTION

A. Overview of the Land and Water Resource Engineering

Land and Water Resource Engineering is a specialized field of engineering that focuses on
the sustainable management and utilization of land, water, and related resources. It involves the
application of engineering principles to address issues related to the environment, agriculture,
water resources, and land use planning.

Land and water resource engineering is a broad field that encompasses many different aspects
of water and land management. It is a critical field for agriculture, as it involves the development
and implementation of sustainable water and land use practices that support crop production
and livestock management.

It can help to better understand the water and land resources that are essential for agriculture.
Also it can help to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to design and implement
sustainable water and land management practices

B. Role of irrigation and water resources engineering in agricultural development

Irrigation and water resources engineering play a vital role in agricultural development. Irrigation
is the artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of
agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas
and during periods of less than average rainfall. Irrigation also helps to improve crop quality and
increase yields.

Water resources engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the management of
water resources. It involves the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of
water systems and structures. Water resources engineers play a key role in developing and
managing irrigation systems, as well as other water resources infrastructure that is essential for
agriculture.

Irrigation and water resources engineering contribute to agricultural development in a number of

ways, including:
 Increased crop yields and production: Irrigation allows farmers to grow crops in areas
that would otherwise be too dry, and to increase yields in areas with adequate rainfall.
This can help to improve food security and nutrition, and to boost the incomes of farmers.
 Expansion of the agricultural area: Irrigation can help to expand the area of land that can
be used for agriculture. This is particularly important in arid and semi-arid regions, where
land is scarce.
 Crop diversification: Irrigation allows farmers to grow a wider variety of crops, including
high-value crops. This can help to improve the resilience of agricultural systems and to
increase farmers' incomes.
 Reduced risks: Irrigation can help to reduce the risks associated with agriculture, such
as crop failure due to drought. This can help to improve the livelihoods of farmers and
their families.

In addition to these direct benefits, irrigation and water resources engineering also contribute to
agricultural development by:
 Creating jobs: The construction and operation of irrigation systems and other water
resources infrastructure creates jobs in rural areas. This can help to reduce poverty and
improve the standard of living.
AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024
Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes
  Supporting economic growth: Agriculture is a major sector of the economy in many
countries. Improved agricultural productivity and production can lead to economic growth
and development.
 Improving environmental sustainability: Irrigation and water resources engineering can
help to improve the environmental sustainability of agriculture. For example, by using
water more efficiently and reducing pollution.

Some specific examples of how irrigation and water resources engineering have contributed to
agricultural development in different parts of the world:
 In India, the Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s was largely due to the expansion
of irrigation systems. This led to a dramatic increase in food production and helped to lift
millions of people out of poverty.
 In China, the Three Gorges Dam is a major water resources project that has helped to
improve irrigation and flood control in the Yangtze River basin. This has led to increased
crop yields and production, and has helped to reduce poverty in the region.
 In Israel, drip irrigation technology has helped to transform agriculture in the country.
Drip irrigation is a highly efficient irrigation method that uses less water than traditional
irrigation methods. This has allowed Israel to grow crops in arid areas and to become a
major exporter of agricultural products.

These are just a few examples of how irrigation and water resources engineering have
contributed to agricultural development around the world. As the world's population continues to
grow and climate change poses new challenges to agriculture, the role of irrigation and water
resources engineering will become even more important.

C. Brief historical perspective of irrigation and water resources development

History of Irrigation Development in the Philippines

◘ Precolonial and colonial periods
◌ Before 1521 - an estimated 25,000 ha were made up of farmer-built, small canal systems
excluding upland rice terraces. In these systems, no individual had exclusive rights to the
use of water, though the area around the local summit was reserved for untouched forest.
The topmost terraces has priority to water from the spring or stream flowing down from the
peak but obliged to release excess water for the lower terraces. Similar water-sharing
arrangements were used in other traditional irrigation systems in the country.

◌ During Spanish colonial government (1521–1898) - development of irrigation systems

was limited to the friar lands and few small irrigation systems. Construction was carried out
by able-bodied residents of the respective estates through forced labor.

◌ 1630 - Zanjera cooperative irrigation societies or associations were started as early as 1630
mostly in the Ilocos area. Their function was simply to procure a stable, reliable supply of
water for the use of their members. The privileges of the members of a Zanjera included the
allotment to rights to a portion of the system’s water and the right to vote within the sitio unit
and the larger association. Their major responsibility was to provide labor and construction
materials and other resources required to operate and maintain the system.

◌ American period: 1898–1946

→ 1907 - irrigation development under American period commenced in August 1907, when the
Philippine Legislature appropriated a permanent reimbursable sum of PHP 250,000 for
irrigation construction.
→ 1908 - the Irrigation Division under the Bureau of Public Works (BPW) was created by law.

AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024

Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes
→ 1912 - the Irrigation Act was passed to regulate the appropriation of public waters, prescribe
rules on water rights, and provide for construction, O&M of irrigation systems, and
payments from farmers.
→ 1913 - The San Miguel River Irrigation System in Tarlac was constructed as the first NIS in
the country.
→ 1922 to 1930 - Eleven more NIS were constructed along with small canal irrigation systems
for rice monocultures, 12 medium-sized NIS with a total service area of 91,000 ha of rice
farms were constructed during the American regime.
→ 1936 - Commonwealth Act 87 authorized the President, through the Director of Public
Works, to administer public irrigation systems.
→ 1938 - legislators arrogated discretionary funding for CIS, effectively deploying “pork barrel”.
→ Throughout the Commonwealth period, government funds for CIS were coursed through
legislators. Such politicized allocation tends to follow a “divide by N” principle, which
resulted in the construction of dams across streams with insufficient water or on sites where
foundations were unstable and, in many instances, even irrigation projects that were never
completed.

◌ Japanese Occupation: 1941-1945

→ Japanese authorities required farmers to turn over one-half of their palay produce to the
government to feed the occupation army and to serve the wider Japanese empire. Irrigation
development activity during this period was minimal as safety and survival during the war
against the Japanese invasion was the overriding concern of the nation. At the end of this
period, many irrigation systems were in a bad state of deterioration and disrepair.

◘ Post-war period: 1946–1965

◌ Roxas Administration: 1946 - 1948
- focused on rehabilitating existing systems damaged during the World War II.
- implemented a program to increase rice production, entailing cultivation of 100,000 ha of
new areas every year for five years by developing disposable forest lands and lands of
public domain
→ 1945 - implemented a war settlement program under Commonwealth Act 69
→ 1947 - the Irrigation Division of Bureau of Public Works (BPW) was reactivated

◌ Quirino Administration: 1948 - 1953

- the Irrigation Pump Administration was created
→ 1949 - established the Rice and Corn Production Administration to increase production of
rice and corn

◌ Magsaysay Administration: 1953 - 1957

- formulated a program to attain self-sufficiency in rice as one of the major objectives of his
administration
- made more funds available for irrigation development and accelerated the construction of
CIS
→ 1957 - at the end of the year, the total irrigated area in the country was about 400,000 ha

◌ Garcia Administration: 1957 - 1961

- shifted the government’s thrust to foreign affairs, keeping agricultural development in
status quo

AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024

Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes
→ 1958 - Republic Act (RA) No. 2084 was signed into law, creating the Rice and Corn
Production Coordinating Committee to attain self-sufficiency in cereals. However, palay
yields declined in this period, leading to large volumes of rice imports.

◌ Macapagal Administration: 1961–1964

- the government provided improved irrigation and water control facilities to achieve the
“Five-Year Integrated Socio-Economic Program” aiming self-sufficiency in rice and corn
at prices within the reach of the masses.
→ 1962 - the National Economic Council and the United States Agency for International
Development concluded an agreement to establish a planning program for water resources
development in seven major river basins in the country. The said program included an
investigation and completion of a feasibility report for a selected multipurpose project in
Central Luzon.
- The United States Bureau of Reclamation provided a team of technical consultants to
work with the Philippine government agencies in the formulation of water resources
development plans.
→ 1963 - RA 3601 was passed, granting corporate status, broad powers, functions, and
objectives to NIA, as well as raising its capital.

The Modern Era: 1965 to the present

◌ Marcos Administration: 1965–1986
- invested heavily in irrigation development
- The Water Code of the Philippines revised and consolidated the laws governing the
ownership, appropriation, utilization, exploitation, development, conservation, and
protection of water resources in the country.
→ 1974 - the National Water Resources Council was created by virtue of Presidential Decree
(PD) 424 for overall water allocation and coordination.
- PD 552 granted NIA broader powers and authority to undertake program-oriented and
comprehensive water resource projects for irrigation purposes, as well as concomitant
activities.
→ PD 552 - The law increased its capitalization, authorized it to incur foreign loans,
empowered it to administer all CIS, and reconstituted its board of directors.
→ National Irrigation Administration (NIA) - was tasked to make 10- to 20-year period plans
upon the passage of RA 3601
- implemented an upward adjustment of the irrigation service fees (ISF) together with the
nationwide information campaign to encourage irrigation users to cooperate and be
involved in the O&M of irrigation systems.
- introduced the participatory approach during 1980, in which CIS were developed then
turned over to irrigators association (IAs) for operation and maintenance (O&M).

◌ First Aquino Administration: 1986 - 1992

- The national recovery program placed agriculture at the center of development. It adhered
to the following policy goals:
(a) free the economy from unnecessary and costly government institutional and policy
interventions;
(b) provide the farmers access to land, technology, credit, infrastructure facilities, and
market information, and for landless wage earners, greater employment
opportunities; and

AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024

Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes
 (c) increase the effectiveness of the various government agencies concerned in pursuing
the new thrusts in the agriculture and rural sector.
- Priority in the irrigation development program was given to areas with high production
capabilities, mainly the major river basins as identified in the agricultural sector program.
- Irrigation and related inputs were given special attention to the depressed areas with
potential for increased yields and higher income.
- Farmer-organizing programs were integrated under the Institutional Development
Department of NIA
→ 1986 - NIA began implementing the Community Employment Development Program
- implementing the irrigation component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
(CARP)

◌ Ramos Administration: 1992 - 1998

- DA instituted the key production area approach.
- The Congress approved a lump-sum appropriation under the Office of the Secretary to
finance the various rice support programs, such as subsidized seeds, fertilizers, and
credit and the construction of new and rehabilitation of irrigation systems, with focus on
small-scale irrigation. Whereas the WTO Agreement required the lifting of the quantitative
restrictions (QRs) on imports and the conversion of these into equivalent tariffs, the
country managed to obtain a special treatment for rice allowing QRs to be kept for the
next 10 years (up to 2005).
‘

→ 1996 - Following accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Gintong Ani was
launched as a safety net for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
→ Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) Republic Act (RA) No. 8435 -
This was passed in the final year of the Ramos administration.
- For irrigation, AFMA included the following
(1) prevention of further destruction of watersheds,
(2) rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems, and
(3) promotion of the development of effective, affordable, and efficient irrigation systems.
- The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of AFMA amended the composition of the
NIA Board by adding the Field Operations Service and BSWM of DA as members. They
delineated the jurisdictions of NIA and the BSWM for reservoir projects based on the
height of the dams.
- Also granted additional funds for agriculture modernization, allocating 30% for irrigation.

◌ Estrada Administration: 1998–2001

- implemented Agrikulturang Makamasa as its banner program.
- Initially, ISF was suspended upon the pronouncement of the President. However, it was
later reimposed under a socialized structure.

◌ Arroyo Administration: 2001 - 2010

→ Ginintuang Masaganang Ani-Countrywide Assistance for Rural Employment and Service
- was implemented in 2001 with special emphasis on social equity.
- provided greater focus and support to the adoption of hybrid rice by giving incentives in
the form of free hybrid seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers to encourage irrigated rice
farmers to shift from inbreds to hybrids.
- the administration negotiated for an extension of special treatment up to June 30, 2012.
As a concession, minimum access volume (MAV) rose from 238,940 tons to 350,000
tons.
AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024
Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes
 - adopted an irrigation management transfer (IMT) policy as stated in Memorandum
Circular 47, with subsequent amendments in 2008.
→ FIELDS - fertilizer, irrigation, extension, loans for inputs including shallow tubewells and
surface-water pumps, dryers, other postharvest facilities, and seed subsidy program
- this was launched in 2008 due to rice price crisis
- this program led to a resurgence in irrigation investment aimed at achieving the
government’s rice production targets.
→ Climate Change Act of 2009 - this act mainstreamed climate change in public policy in
2009
- All departments, including the Depratment of Agriculture (DA), were mandated to integrate
climate change in all their programs.
- NIA carried out pilot projects for climate proofing of its irrigation investments. It is yet to
mainstream climate change in its programs.

◌ Second Aquino Administration: 2010 - 2016

→ Agri-Pinoy Program - this program was implemented under this administration based on
our guiding principles:
(1) sustainable agriculture,
(2) food security and self-sufficiency,
(3) broad-based local partnerships, and
(4) support services from farm to table.
- Among its priority thrusts were irrigation services, extension services, establishments of
trading centers, organic agriculture, and public-private partnerships
→ Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP) - part of Agri-Pinoy program
- designed to ensure self-sufficiency in rice while calling for diversification for other staples.
- identified three sets of interventions:
(1) raising farm productivity and competitiveness,
(2) enhancing economic incentives and enabling mechanisms, and
(3) managing food staples consumption.
- Accelerating the expansion of irrigation services and further investing in small-scale
irrigation systems were key interventions under number (1).
- The Aquino administration again successfully negotiated for a waiver postponing
tariffication until July 2017.

◌ Duterte Administration: 2016 - 2022

→ has adopted and even intensified the previous administration’s commitment to irrigation
development as shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Budget appropriation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for irrigation, in PHP
millions (current prices)

AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024

Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes
→ Under the Duterte’s Administration, NIA started the construction of big projects that has an
aggregate cost of Php 108.59 billion to cover more agricultural areas nationwide, such as;
(a) Php 1.029-billion Pasa Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (Isabela)
(b) Php 13.37-billion Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project – Phase II (Tarlac)
(c) Php 11.21-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project II (Iloilo)
(d) Php 25.731-billion Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur-Abra Irrigation Project
(e) Php 3.5-billion Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project (LARISIP)
(f) Php 4.134-billion Bohol Northeast Basin Multipurpose Dam Project
(g) Php 31.22-billion Kabulnan 2 Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project
(h) Php 5.444-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project (North Cotabato)
(i) Php 8.58-billion Tumauini River Multipurpose Project (Isabela)
(j) Php 4.372-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project (Kalinga)
→ To maximize the utilization of existing irrigation facilities, NIA has embarked on the
development of hydropower and solar irrigation projects. As of December 31, 2021, NIA
completed the construction of 333 solar-powered irrigation projects amounting to Php
1,517,533,450.71. These projects which can generate 4,215.33 horsepower (hp) also
provide reliable irrigation water supply to 6,482.62 hectares of agricultural land nationwide,
benefitting 8,467 farmers and their families.

→ With its modernization and innovation platform, NIA utilizes the full potential of its irrigation
facilities in agro-tourism, technological advancement, and innovations. Veering away from
mere irrigation service, NIA invites interested parties to invest in hydroelectric power
projects in 379 identified potential sites nationwide. Five of which are completely operational,
thus providing sustainable resources for renewable energy.

→ NIA also started venturing to floating solar power project on its dams and reservoirs as the
SN Aboitiz Power Group has constructed a 2,500-square meter floating solar power energy
in Magat Dam in Isabela which features solar panels fixed to floats on the water surface.

→ As part of the Agency’s Re-Fleeting Program, NIA purchased 34 units of light and transport
vehicles and 18 units of heavy equipment for CY 2017. For CY 2018, NIA acquired 91 units
of light/transport vehicles and 18 units of heavy equipment.

→ To promote comprehensive rural development and equal access to opportunities and

sustained productivity, Republic Act No. 10969, otherwise known as the Free Irrigation
Service Act (FISA) was signed into law by President Duterte on February 02, 2018. Under
the law, all farmers with landholdings of eight hectares and below are exempted from
paying the Irrigation Service Fees (ISF) for water derived from National and Communal
Irrigation Systems (NISs and CISs).

AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024

Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes
→ As of December 2021, the Free ISF Program of the Government has a total of 1,033,778
farmers covering 1,189,503.87 hectares of agricultural land nationwide benefit under the
law. Congruently, the National Irrigation Master Plan will pave the way on how to fully
develop the remaining 1.4 million out of the 3.1 million hectares of potential areas for
irrigation. Based from the NIMP, by 2030, about 75% shall have been provided with
irrigation facilities.

→ For the status of irrigation development as of December 2020, NIA already developed and
irrigated 64.12% of the total 3,128,631 hectares of estimated irrigable area. A 4.8% increase
in irrigation development was recorded from CY 2016 to CY 2020.

AGRI 15 Notes for CAF Students 2nd Semester 2023-2024

Prepared by: Engr. Michelle I. Maja, Gerald E. Deguit and Joe Marie E. Reyes