Agriculture sector crucial in helping Filipinos recover from crisis

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go has appealed to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to assist more agri- and fishery-based micro and small enterprises to bolster food security as part of the efforts to help Filipinos recover from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

“With this crisis, many industries were affected but the food supply chain should not be hampered. I am appealing to the DA to help fishermen and farmers to ensure there will be food on every Filipino family’s table,” Go said.

The DA-Agricultural Credit Policy Council said it continues to enhance the provision of concessionary loans to marginal small farmers and fishers, including agri-based micro and small entrepreneurs through the Expanded SURE Aid and Recovery Project.

Go said the DA should further promote their initiatives to meet their target beneficiaries as the government prepares to implement the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program (BP2) after the health crisis.

He commended the DA for acting on his previous appeal to encourage local government units to buy the produce of local farmers and farmer-cooperatives and to have these included in the items for relief operations.

“Some LGUs are giving away vegetables, fruits and fish as relief goods. This will enable farmers and fishermen to earn more and, at the same time, the relief goods will be more nutritious,” he noted.

Since then, the DA has been coordinating with and urging LGUs to purchase relief goods directly from farmers and farmers’ cooperatives. As of June 1, at least 425 LGUs have been buying fresh produce from farmers.

Meanwhile, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) is also collaborating with different state universities and colleges and the Department of Education to provide education and technical or vocational skills training in agriculture, especially those that focus on sustainable agriculture.

ATI is also partnering with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to develop training regulations for grains production, organic agriculture and artificial insemination.

Go urged the ATI to further collaborate with more state colleges and organizations to look into urban farming and how to cope up with the growing demand for food both in big cities and provinces.

“We have seen how the pandemic broke the global supply chains of the food sector. Now is the time to ensure that we are self-sustaining and reduce our dependence on global trade when it comes to food. Now, more than ever, we need to promote and support food security and agriculture in the country,” he emphasized.

The DA is implementing various programs to ensure increased food productivity, including the provision of various inputs, such as machinery, tools and equipment to agricultural workers; and the provision of low- or zero-interest credit and the establishment of credit facilities, such as Sikat Saka Program for rice and corn farmers, Survival and Recovery Loan for victims of calamities and Production Loan Easy Access for crops, livestock, fisheries projects.