Small diversion dam to boost farm production in Brgy. Alvañiz, Patnongon

Upland farmers in Brgy. Alvañiz, Patnongon, Antique are bound to benefit from a more stable and reliable irrigation system following the inauguration of the newly completed  Alvañiz Diversion Dam on January 29, 2026.

Implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas Rice Program, the irrigation structure is part of the DA’s Irrigation Network Services, which supports farmers’ cooperatives and associations in requesting irrigation projects to enhance water accessibility and boost rice productivity.

Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer Sonie Guanco of DA Western Visayas said during the inauguration, the Php 4.845-million diversion dam project is designed to provide a reliable water source for farming, addressing long-standing irrigation challenges in the area.

According to Medalyn Quimanhan, President of the Alvaniz Upland Farmers Association, the diversion dam now irrigates around 50 hectares of farmland, allowing farmers to plant earlier and increase their number of cropping seasons for both rice and corn.

“Nami gid hay natukudan kami sang amon small diversion dam. Maka-first crop kami temprano pa kag makatanum kami tubtob third crop para maumwad man amon pangabuhi,” Quimanhan said.

She added that improved irrigation will enable them to plant up to three rice crops a year, a big boost for the members of the 12-year-old farmers’ association residing within the Iraynon Bukidnon domain.

With a more reliable water supply, farmers can now engage in diversified farming. Aside from rice, the association plants corn during the first and second cropping seasons over a wide area. They have also ventured into vegetable production, growing crops such as squash, pole sitao, peanut, mungbean, and eggplant, an opportunity that was previously limited due to water scarcity.

Farmer-member Joey Alagos, who cultivates two hectares of land, recalled the difficulties they faced in the past when their makeshift irrigation structures were repeatedly destroyed by floods and typhoons.

“Indi na kami mabudlayan subong. Sang una, kada may baha ukon bagyo, guba gid ang amon dam kay kahoy kag kawayan lang,” Alagos said.

With the completion of the concrete diversion dam, farmers now feel more secure and confident in their farming operations. Alagos can now plant rice up to three times a year and also grows corn and peanuts. With sufficient year-round water available, he plans to expand into vegetable farming.

The Alvaniz Upland Farmers Association continues to work closely with the Municipal Agriculture Office of Patnongon and DA Western Visayas to further improve farm productivity and adopt better agricultural practices. 

Municipal Agriculturist Bernardita Salvador noted that, out of the 36 barangays in Patnongon validated by the DA, Barangay Alvaniz was selected as the site of the diversion dam due to its feasibility for significantly improving rice and corn production.

Salvador assured farmers of the local government’s continued technical assistance to help them maximize the benefits of the irrigation facility. ###Text by Sheila Mae T. Cocjin & Photos by Khrysma Dei C. Caldina/DA-RAFIS 6