Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar welcomed 2021 with 12 new key strategies in a memorandum issued to the entire Department of Agriculture (DA) in January 2021.
The strategies aimed to drive the agriculture and fishery sector towards an inclusive growth, fostering an accelerated transformation of the sector into a modern and industrialized one.
Dubbed as the “One DA Holistic Approach to Agriculture and Fisheries Transformation,” the said strategies were cross-cutting action plans which aim to help farmers and fishers through the provision of various assistance and implementation of several programs, activities, and projects.
New ‘12 key strategies’
The first strategy establishes the ‘Bayanihan agri clusters’ (BACs) to streamline support services from the national and local government units (LGUs) for cost-efficient production and better resource management.
The Provincial Agricultural and Fisheries Extension Systems (PAFES) will also be institutionalized to initiate concerted efforts among DA, LGUs, academe, and the private sector. PAFES shall bring services closer to stakeholders.
Another strategy is the Agri-Industrial Business Corridors (ABCs) which is hoped to open doors for inter-regional and trans-national agriculture and fishery-related business activities.
Support to infrastructures is also prioritized, especially the establishment of farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, postharvest facilities, and storage and processing facilities, among others.
Marketing support will also be intensified through the strengthening and expansion of the Kadiwa and e-Kadiwa programs.
The strengthening of digital agriculture as part of the Agriculture 4.0 agenda is also part of the new strategies. Automated systems will be utilized to improve farm productivity.
Secretary Dar also intends to address concerns on climate change by normalizing regional and provincial climate risk and vulnerability assessments to craft measures on climate risks.
DA is also committed to empower and mobilize its partners and stakeholders. Partnerships with LGUs and individuals will continuously be pursued.
The strengthening of Philippine agriculture in global trade will also be given priority by boosting top export crops such as coconut and banana, and cacao and coffee which are seen with lots of potentials.
For food safety protocols and regulations, control measures particularly for animal and plant diseases will be strengthened. Laboratory and research facilities for building traceability will be prioritized.
Further, DA will help agripreneurs, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises, in reducing the costs in complying with regulatory standards of conducting business.
Finally, Secretary Dar instructed the department’s communication team to launch various information campaigns to share the success stories of its collaborations and integrated efforts.
Harmonized efforts
The DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), as one of DA’s staff bureaus, has committed to anchor its programs, activities, and projects to the One DA approach.
DA-BAR has channeled funds to increase productivity and profitability of farming systems by prioritizing support for initiatives that lead to defined farm and industry level application under an inclusive market-oriented agri-business approach.
Expansion of high value food products will also be pushed, along with technology upscaling, to stir economic activities.
Support to research capacities is continuously being undertaken through DA-BAR’s Research Facility Development Grant program aimed at funding the enhancement of research facilities, and the acquisition of modern equipment to support precision and digital agriculture initiatives.
In addition, improved information and communications technology capacities for research initiatives are also eyed. This is still part of the Agriculture 4.0 agenda of DA.
The production and availability of quality planting materials and fishery commodities are also targeted. The bureau allotted more than 60 percent of its budget to this initiative, as part of its quick response program to aid farmers and fishers affected by the pandemic.