24/07/2026
On July 23, 2026, Board Member Wilson D. Salas, Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, was invited by the project team from Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) for a meeting to discuss and seek advice and support on the continuing implementation of the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) Technology Project in Nueva Vizcaya. The project team was led by Engr. Jessie Pascual P. Bitog, the Project Leader.
During the meeting, the project team presented the current status and accomplishments of the AWD Project. Since its implementation, the project has expanded from an initial 26 hectares to more than 1,000 hectares in 2025 and now covers over 2,000 hectares during the current cropping season. At present, the project engages nine (9) Irrigators' Associations across six (6) municipalities in Nueva Vizcaya.
The team reported that the project has received favorable feedback from participating farmers, who have experienced the benefits of AWD technology in conserving irrigation water while significantly reducing methane gas emissions from rice paddies without compromising rice yields.
The initiative is supported by Verde Carbon Capture, Inc., a subsidiary of the Japan-based Green Carbon Inc., which serves as the lead implementing partner in the Philippines. Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU), as the academe partner, serves as the lead implementer of the project in the province.
The AWD Project is envisioned to run for ten (10) years, with the long-term goal of promoting the adoption of AWD technology in all irrigated lowland rice areas throughout Nueva Vizcaya.
The project team also shared recent developments, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Green Carbon Inc. and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Central Office, which supports the expansion of AWD implementation across NIA-managed irrigation systems in Nueva Vizcaya. At the provincial level, Green Carbon Inc. has likewise secured the commitment of the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Nueva Vizcaya through an approved Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the Governor.
As the lead implementing agency, NVSU plans to develop and advocate for a policy brief that will institutionalize the adoption of AWD as the strategic approach for water management and greenhouse gas emission reduction in irrigated lowland rice production across the province.
The project team presented these updates to Board Member Salas to strengthen the partnership among stakeholders in Nueva Vizcaya and to seek his guidance and support on the appropriate legislative and policy actions needed to facilitate the institutionalization and wider adoption of AWD technology in the province.
