NIA Central Office – With the top priority of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos, Jr. to revitalize the country’s agriculture sector through irrigation development, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) eyes Public-Private Partnership (PPP) on irrigation development.
FUNDING is one of the major operational issues of NIA, as with other government agencies. Data shows that the estimated development cost of the lands without irrigation amounts to 594.76 billion pesos.
President Marcos, Jr. called for the application of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to government infrastructure projects. Thus, Administrator Benny D. Antiporda immediately went into the study of PPP application to NIA projects. In two months, NIA now has a total investment pledge of more than one trillion pesos from potential private partners, which would then allow NIA to pursue its irrigation projects without the restriction of limited funding.
NIA is faced with the issue of the low economic viability of its projects, considering that the primary purpose of NIA projects is the irrigation of our farmers’ agricultural lands for a nominal fee, which necessarily entails a low profit margin that is not attractive to potential private partners. Thus, the Agency is presently exploring the addition of investment opportunities that may improve the financial aspect of NIA projects potentially to be applied in PPP projects to provide a reasonable return of investment (ROI) to the partner-investors.
NIA has on its pipeline the formulation of a "Menu" of revenue streams that would indicate potential investment opportunities, including aquaculture farming, hydroelectric power generation, solar panels in the reservoir, solar panels covering the irrigation canals, and wind energy to generate power and, at the same time, minimizing water evaporation. The possibility of bulk water distribution that may be integrated in each NIA Project, thereby improving the economic viability of such projects. NIA is also exploring the carbon credits that will earn dollars for the investors and, at the same time, not only address the country’s issues on climate change but the entire world.
The PPP is envisioned to fast-track the infrastructure development of NIA which will cater to the thousands of Filipino farmers and, ultimately, answer the President;s call to strengthen the country's food security.
#NIAparasabayan
#TuloyAngDaloyNIA
#NIA
For inquiries and/or clarifications, you may contact:
CLARIZZE C. TORIBIO
Acting Department Manager
NIA Public Affairs and Information Staff
Email: pais@nia.gov.ph
Landline: (02) 8921-3741
