Global Grant # GG2350722 "Solar Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) for Pagsangahan (Quezon Province) Farmers"
Rotary Club of Marikina West
February 23, 2025
The long travel did not deter the Rotarians for the formal turnover ceremonies of the "Solar Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) for Pagsangahan (Quezon Province) Farmers" under Global Grant # GG2350722 of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
The Global Grant application was approved on 29 August 2024 with a funding of US$ 90,583.00.
The project aims to increase the production capacity of farmers by installing solar powered irrigation system (SPIS) at Barangay Pagsangahan, San Francisco, Quezon Province, Philippines.
The direct beneficiaries of the project are the members of Pagsangahan Irrigators Association SFQ. The organization has 68 rice farmer-members who cultivate an estimated area of 1.5 hectares each. The estimated average yield of rice farmers is 80 “cavans” per hectare. One “cavan” is a sack of rice weighing approximately 50 kilograms. The entire barangay will also benefit from the project as the expected increase in yield will result in increased income for rice farmers, ensure access to the staple of other community members, and increased movements of goods and services in the local market due to increased buying capacity of farmers.
SPIS benefits includes the following: (1) increase farming cycle productivity and income by enabling more efficient and flexible irrigation scheduling and management; (2) provide a reliable source of energy in remote areas such as the target location of the project where fuel and transportation of it is costly; and (3) can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from irrigated agriculture.
This project is Phase 1 which consists of 2 units of 10HP Centrifugal Pump coupled to 7.5kW Electric Motor, each powered by Solar Panels through Variable Frequency Drive (Pump Inverter). Aside from the pumps and solar panels, the project also includes construction of a Pump House and Catch Basin.
The approximate land area where the components are installed is 350-400 square meters. There are existing canal linings (water distribution) already with approximate length of 2.8 kilometers (total) and out-of-scope for this project.
In addition, a technical turnover was also held by the Contractor to the farmer-beneficiaries on how to maintain the equipment for sustainability in the years to come.
The project took several years to apply (with stringent rules to comply), be approved, obtained funds, and finally completed and turned over. It faced challenges but the desire to ‘do good in the world’ prevailed amongst the Rotarians.
The project transcended several Rotary years. Project proposal was first posted by the Rotary Club of Marikina West Inc, R.I. District 3800 Philippines (RCMW) at the 'Rotary Showcase' website looking for international partners during Rotary Year (RY) 2020-21. By RY 2022-23, the project was picked up by the Rotary Club of Sasebo North 佐世保北ロータリークラブ (RCSN), R.I. District 2740 (Japan) and contacted RCMW thru its website www.rcmarikinawest.org. Several email correspondences later, RCSN sent a delegation to discuss the specifics of the project in-person by going to the Philippines on 13-16 November 2022. The delegation went back to Japan to discuss the project proposal and was approved by RCSN’s general membership. RCSN came back to the Philippines on 4-9 April 2024 during RY 2023-24 to personally conduct an ocular inspection of the actual proposed project site. Finally, RY 2024-25 is the culmination of said project as the funds were received and implemented.
On 23rd February 2025, the project was officially turned over to the beneficiaries witnessed by San Francisco, Quezon Mayor Kresna Fernandez. It is but fitting that project turn-over was held on the 120th founding anniversary of Rotary.
Areas of Focus:
Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Community economic development
Immediately after the ceremonies, the delegation went back to Metro Manila for another 10 hours of land travel and had a farewell dinner for the Japanese Rotarians at Oriental Palace, Quezon City.
