DA, FAO collaborate to strengthen food security

MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has met with the head of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in a bid to strengthen collaboration towards food security.

“We are keen to develop our agriculture sector through increased trade and investment. The Philippines is dedicated to creating sustainable livelihoods for our farmers and fisherfolk,” he said.

Tiu Laurel met with FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu in Rome earlier this week to showcase the country’s strategic investment plan on four key commodity sectors, namely abaca, bamboo, mango and seaweed.

The Department of Agriculture said these sectors are crucial in boosting local economies, creating jobs and supporting sustainable development.

FAO currently has 19 national projects being implemented in the Philippines, totaling $41 million.

Qu emphasized FAO’s readiness to assist the country in accessing funds as well as in future collaborations.

“FAO stands ready to continue supporting the Philippines in building resilient agricultural systems that can withstand health and climate-related crises,” Qu said.

Tiu Laurel said the Marcos administration is committed to modernizing the sector despite challenges like natural disasters, agricultural smuggling and supply chain fragmentation.

“In response to these challenges, the Philippine government has increased the agriculture sector budget to P167.5 billion, focusing on irrigation, cold storage, farm-to-market roads and direct support for farmers,” Tiu Laurel added.