Piñol urges countries to invest more in agri

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippines is calling on other countries to provide greater support and invest more in the agriculture sector to ensure global food security amid the increasing population and threats of climate change.

As he assumes the chairmanship of the 40th United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 40th Biennial Conference in Rome, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol urges other countries to put more resources in increasing food production.

“Governments should spend more in agriculture. The reality right now is very evident that countries that did not invest much in agri are suffering,” he said.

“In any country, you can take away all the other basic services but not food. We should invest more heavily in the sector,” Piñol added.

For the first time, the Philippines will chair the week-long FAO conference. Piñol will be joined by Sen. Cynthia Villar and Rep. Jose Panganiban, chairpersons of the committee on agriculture in both houses of Congress.

The Agri chief said he would emphasize the importance of a concerted effort among nations to ensure food security amid the challenges of climate change.

Piñol is also calling for greater cooperation among the advanced food producing countries and the emerging food production areas like the Philippines in the areas of technology transfer and sharing of best practices.

“The responsibility to feed the growing population of the world must be a shared mission of all countries of the world and the old practice of keeping in exclusivity advanced technologies in food production must be abandoned,” he said.

The Philippines will also share its innovations in disaster and climate change preparedness including the establishment of food storage and depots in identified high risk areas which could be marooned during major disasters.

“I really would like to see at this conference a greater commitment by governments to support FAO, because FAO has proven to be a very reliable partner in the area of food production and agriculture,” Piñol said.

Around 1,000 participants are expected to attend the FAO conference, including some 70 ministers and 15 deputy ministers.

The event will address the pressing policy issues related to global food security, including the impacts of climate change on agriculture and efforts to realize the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.