President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday underscored the need to address the systemic issues plaguing Philippine agriculture for years due to the longstanding neglect of the sector.

In his speech at the 70th anniversary of the Federation of Free Farmers in Quezon City, Marcos said the welfare of farmers and fisherfolk has been forgotten, dating back to the inception of agricultural reform during his father and namesake's tenure.

"We have a significant amount of work ahead of us because we need to fix the entire agricultural system that has been neglected for a long time, perhaps since the start of agricultural reform, during (the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s) time," Marcos Jr. said.

He added: "Now, many changes have occurred, the world has changed, and it has revolved several times. Therefore, we need to examine the needs of our farmers and fishermen to improve their lives because we often hear that we need to increase our yield, improve our harvest, and our productivity."

The President serves concurrently as secretary of Agriculture.

The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that agricultural production decreased by 1.3 percent in the second quarter of this year.

The figures unveiled by the PSA showed that the production value in agriculture and fisheries, calculated at constant 2018 prices, totaled P427.69 billion, a decline from the P433.10 billion recorded in the same period the previous year.

PSA data also showed that agricultural land in the Philippines, used to cultivate palay, corn, and coconut, reached more than 13 million hectares.

Land conversion

At the same time, the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region has pointed out that the arable land has been decreasing due to land conversion.

Separate data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization showed the Philippines had 14.47 million hectares of agricultural land in 1995.

The total value of agricultural production in the Philippines in 2022 was estimated at P1.76 trillion, a decrease of 1.7 percent from 2021.

Based on data from the Department of Agrarian Reform, a total of 97,592.5 hectares of agricultural land — the size of Metro Manila and Cebu City — were approved for conversion to non-agricultural purposes between 1998, the year when the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Act took effect, and 2016.

P92B funding

Several academics have pointed out that the loss of farmland to land conversion also has social and economic impacts, particularly on small-scale farmers who rely on their land for a living.

The minimum wages for agricultural laborers in the Philippines vary by region, ranging from P306 in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to P573 in the National Capital Region. These wage rates, determined by tripartite boards, differ based on the specific region.

"But let's not forget that the livelihood of our farmers and fishermen should also be taken care of and improved because that is our goal for all our farmers and fishermen," Marcos said.

Marcos emphasized the pressing need for his administration to boost the agricultural sector, with more than P92 billion set aside for upcoming agri-fisheries projects next year.

Additionally, the Department of Agriculture has allotted P4.73 billion to improve large-scale agriculture and fishery mechanization and modernization, aiming to decrease post-harvest losses and cost-effectively enhance farmers' yields.

He underlined the enormity of the task ahead and called on the public for their support and collaboration.

"So, this is a massive task. That's why we need your help because the government alone cannot do all of this. We need your diligence; we need your advice because you are the ones facing the problems in agriculture that we are going through now," he said.

"Rest assured, your government is here to do everything in its power to assist our farmers in producing a bountiful harvest, catching enough fish for our fellow citizens, and selling these products at prices affordable to our people," Marcos added.