Following President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call to come up with a food security plan, the Department of Agriculture (DA) led the 15,000 stakeholders who attended the series of discussions and consultations at the regional and national level as an initial step and in preparation for the updating of the the commodity industry roadmaps under the New Normal.
With the theme, “Food for Today and Beyond: Transforming the Philippine Agriculture,” the stakeholder participants include key officials and representatives from national and local government offices, private sector, farmer and fisherfolk groups, international organizations, academe, youth leaders, non-government and civil society organizations, and the media.
The pre-summit roundtable discussions (RTDs) and Regional Food Security Summits (RFSSs) culminated during the 2021 National Food Security Summit (NFFS) on 18-19 May 2021 at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, Diliman, Quezon City and via video conferencing.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar acknowledged the farmers, fishers, and agripreneurs whom he considered as frontliners in ensuring food security in the country.
He underscored the involvement, engagement, and participation of various stakeholders as well as the renewed and strengthened public-private-people partnership.
“We need the support of all stakeholders and sectors, especially our local governments, in making our food production and distribution systems more inclusive, resilient and sustainable,” Secretary Dar said.
Through the series of discussions and consultations, participants provided specific recommendations on the 11 major agriculture and fishery commodity groups: livestock (swine) and yellow corn (feed); poultry and yellow corn (feed); rice; fruits (banana, pineapple, mango); coconut; sugarcane; coffee and cacao; vegetables; aquaculture; and capture fisheries.
This shall serve as basis in updating the commodity and industry roadmaps, identifying policy recommendations, and crafting strategic action plans in addressing the emerging challenges and opportunities in the agriculture and fisheries industry.
“We will complement the resulting national food security plan with our ‘OneDA reform agenda,’ anchored on four major pillars, namely consolidation, modernization, industrialization, and professionalization,” he added.
National Scientist Dr. Emil Q. Javier, in his synthesis, acknowledged the numerous organized consultations in the regions and the RTDs that looked into major strategic directions and possible policy reforms that cut across the whole sector.
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Director General Qu Dongyu and President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shared their messages during the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2021 NFSS, respectively.
DA key officials, chief executives from national government agencies and academe, senate and congress, local government offices, farmer/fisherfolk representatives, and youth leaders and young agripreneurs shared their respective thoughts and recommendations on attaining food security during the plenary sessions.
During the closing ceremony, the collective support and commitment of the government, and the private and business sectors in the country led by Cabinet Secretary and Task Force on Zero Hunger chairperson Karlo Alexei Nograles and members of the Pilipinas Kontra Gutom were shown through their pledge of support and commitment.
Also, one of the highlights was the launching of the United Nation Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) as participated also by UNFSS convenors. The said summit aims to achieve a more sustainable and equitable food systems which leads to ensuring a food-secured nation.
Secretary Dar concluded the event with the department’s vision of “A food-secure and resilient Philippines with empowered and prosperous farmers and fisherfolk.
Your active participation and recommendations have re-invigorated us that the agriculture sector holds so much potential in helping the country given this pandemic and attain sustained growth and development in the future,” Secretary Dar ended
The DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research led by director Dr. Vivencio R. Mamaril, as one of the members of the NFSS Steering Committee, handled the summit’s program of activities in partnership with the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries. The bureau also handled the invitation and confirmation of participants. Further, Director Mamaril served as moderator during the Sectoral Workshop on pineapple.
The bureau, as instructed by the Secretary, also coordinated the conduct of RFSS with the DA Regional Field Offices and regional stakeholders, outputs of which were consolidated under the guidance of tapped experts.