By Roman Gana

Chief editor of The Leyte Herald

Negros, Philippines

October 4, 2024

The Light We Should Have Seen Long Ago

A provincial government, after years of relying on costly and unreliable methods, finally funded a PHP7.9 million solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS). It’s an eco-friendly solution, one that could have been adopted ages ago. Farmers in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, southern Negros Occidental, are now served by a system that delivers a total of 57 kilowatts, providing water management for up to 24 hectares of land. Progress, but late—almost as if we needed a global energy crisis to remind us that the sun shines every day.

The Cooperative Gamble

The Tara Agrarian Reform Cooperative (TARC), with its hundred-strong members, will be in charge of managing this belated gift of solar power. Their fields will now drink from a source that never runs dry, and yet the responsibility rests on their shoulders to keep the project afloat. “Take care of it,” says Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson. His words seem to echo a collective sigh—the type uttered by those who realize the solution was there all along, hidden behind bureaucratic red tape and neglect. Maybe now, we’ll see what happens when the farmers are trusted to lead the way.

Promises in Signatures

A memorandum of agreement was signed between TARC chairman Alex Agenga and the provincial agriculturist, formalizing the turnover of the project. As pens scratched paper, the future of agriculture in the region was also being written. But for those in the fields, signatures on documents don’t pump water into their crops—sunlight does. The project is a step forward, but it's not the first. The question remains: why did it take so long for the power of the sun to reach the hands of the very people who depend on it?

The Solar Revolution Arrives, Finally

According to the Provincial Agriculturist’s Office, the Tara SPIS will provide a more sustainable and efficient method of irrigation. It cuts the farmers’ dependency on grid electricity or expensive fossil fuels. Sunlight, which has been freely available since the dawn of time, now becomes a key player in the game of agriculture. It’s ironic, isn’t it?

We’ve always had the solution staring down at us, but only now do we acknowledge its value.

Lower Costs, Higher Hopes

With solar power, operational costs drop significantly. Sunlight doesn’t come with a price tag, unlike the fossil fuels we’ve grown so fond of burning. The environmental footprint is minimized, and the farmers can look forward to fewer brownouts and more stable production. Yet the underlying truth persists: this system should have been in place years ago. If the sun could speak, it would likely wonder why it took us this long to catch on.

Final Thoughts

The solar-powered irrigation system in Himamaylan is a victory for farmers and the environment alike, but it’s a victory that’s long overdue. As the fields soak up the sun's rays, the lesson is clear—sometimes, the best solutions are right in front of us.

All we have to do is stop looking away.

Roman Gana