Press Release - SIRM: Double farmers' income and stop the exodus from our farms

"We have to restore agriculture to profitability in order to bring Filipinos back to the countryside. Otherwise, with barely any farmers left, all our food may have to be imported by 2030," warned Senator Imee Marcos, raising concerns over the continued decline of agricultural workers.

To address this issue, Senator Marcos filed Senate Bill No. 1801, which aims to double farmers' income by consolidating farmlands, promoting contract farming, and developing agribusiness ventures.

The senator also proposed a bill to provide farmers registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture with guaranteed income equivalent to the minimum wage in their respective regions.

"We are looking at ways in which the government can provide a guaranteed income for farmers. The government provides income support to various priority groups, so why can't we provide the same to our farmers?" she said.

Additionally, the senator revived the Kadiwa program, which allows farmers and fisherfolk to sell their products directly to consumers, reducing market prices. The program also provides trucks, boats, and refrigeration equipment to local government units and cooperatives.

Senator Marcos also highlighted the success of the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) program, which has benefited 3,625 Filipinos since 2021 through smart farming, e-marketing, and export opportunities. "The YFC has reignited interest in agriculture," she said.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority August 2024 data, while the unemployment rate fell to 4%, the agriculture and fisheries sectors lost 1.67 million workers since 2023. Moreover, 51 million Filipinos are experiencing food insecurity, based on a UN report.

"I refuse to give up on agriculture. There is hope in our farmers. They just need full government support," Marcos concluded.

"Ang agrikultura ay dapat maging kapaki-pakinabang muli upang maengganyo ang mga Pilipino na magtrabaho sa bukirin. Kung hindi, aasa tayo sa imported na pagkain pagsapit ng 2030," babala ni Senator Imee Marcos, na nagpahayag ng pag-aalala sa patuloy na pagbaba ng mga manggagawa sa agrikultura.

Upang matugunan ang isyung ito, inihain ni Senador Marcos ang Senate