BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Agriculture reaffirmed its commitment to push for a stronger agriculture sector in Cordillera amid the challenges of climate change.
DA-Cordillera Regional Executive Director Jennilyn Dawayan assured this commitment towards the attainment of a Bagong Pilipinas that is food sufficient and with progressive and sustainable communities during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas at the DA Regional Field Office here, Tuesday (June 18).
“The DA Cordillera supports the Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance and leadership that embodies an all-inclusive plan for economic and social transformation. Bearing in mind that promotion of agriculture and ensuring food security is one of the President’s socio-economic agenda, we cannot sit by and relax”, Dawayan said.
“We acknowledge that total inclusivity is a gargantuan work, especially in the midst of climate change, when our farmers and fishers toil with great deal of endurance or effort, only to be taken away by typhoons or floods. In the face of strong typhoons that we experienced last year, the El Niño and now the impending La Niña, the DA Cordillera remains steadfast to achieve a demand and technology – driven agriculture towards food secure, progressive and sustainable region,”she added.
Out of the 1,961,110 hectares total land area of Cordillera, only 9.77 percent or 200,685 hectares are agricultural areas and priority commodities are rice, corn, highland vegetables, coffee, and heirloom rice.
In 2023, the sector of agriculture, fishery and forestry only contributed P27.8 billion (7.7 percent) to Cordillera’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP). The sector posted a negative growth compared to the 2022 GRDP of Cordillera, mainly due to damages brought by typhoons and El Niño.
In pushing for a more robust agriculture sector, Dawayan said that the DA’s main strategic agenda are namely; expand and improve available agri-fishery areas for increased production, mechanize and modernize agri-fishery production system, develop and improved post-harvest systems and infrastructure, develop efficient logistics systems for both input and production output, and improve and expand international market access.
Dawayan also shared that DA-CAR has a total budget of P2.531 billion this year, of which bulk is allocated to its major programs on rice, corn, high value crops development program, organic agriculture production, livestock and national urban and peri-urban agriculture program.
The 2024 budget also covers farm-to-market road projects and other regular programs of the DA-CAR.
It also includes locally-funded projects such as the Special Area for Agricultural Development, Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, Young Farmers Challenge, the 4K Program for indigenous farmers and fisherfolks within their ancestral domains, fuel assistance and climate resilient agriculture mainstreaming.
As the DA-CAR pushes for programs and projects for the agriculture sector, Dawayan also calls for the support and continuing partnership with other national government agencies, local government units and the private sector, in moving towards a robust agriculture sector, improved quality of life and a progressive country under the Bagong Pilipinas.
“We cannot do this alone, or if done, still lacking. Through partnerships and collaborations with NGAs, LGUs and private partners, we can break down challenges and barriers that are seemingly insurmountable. All of these are fueled by our aspirations for improved lives of workers within the agricultural value chain,”Dawayan said.
“Tayo po ay magpatuloy na magkaisa, magbago at taas – noong abutin ang masaganang agrikultura, maunlad na ekonomiya tungo sa Bagong Pilipinas,” she said. (Carlito Dar-PIA CAR)
