The Department of Agriculture said on Monday the country's improved food production is the top priority in its three-year agricultural plan.

“Ang pinaka-priority ng ating Kagwaran sa pamumuno ni Secretary Laurel ay yung pagpapataas ng produksyon ng pagkain, kasama na rito ang bigas, gulay, karne at isda" (The top priority of our Department under the leadership of Secretary Laurel is to increase food production, including rice, vegetables, meat and fish), said DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa in a televised interview.

He added that to achieve this top priority, the agency is planning to expand its irrigation projects to benefit more farmlands.

“Kailangan nating palawakin ang mga sakahang dinadaluyan ng irigasyon, yun yung number one na pagsisikap ng Kagawaran dito. Kabilang na rin dito yung malalaking proyekto ng NIA (National Irrigation Authority), pero kasama na rin yung maliliit na irigation projects" (We need to expand irrigated farms; that is the number one effort of the Department here. This also includes the large projects of the NIA and also the small irrigation projects).

Along with these steps, De Mesa said the construction of more postharvest and storage facilities is in the works.

Aside from increasing the number of farming facilities, the DA will also enhance farm mechanization and digitalization and improve its logistics and data collection, which will raise the farmers' income while lowering the prices of commodities.

“Alam natin na ang modernization talaga ang susi para mapataas natin ang ani at kita ng ating mga magsasaka" (We know that modernization is really the key for us to increase the yield and income of our farmers), De Mesa said.

In January, the agriculture bureau laid out its three-year plan ‘Para sa Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas’ for a stronger agri-fishery sector, aiming to modernize the country's agriculture production to ensure all industrial key players benefit, from farmers to retailers.

The plan under the Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization program aims to invest in postharvest facilities, lower the prices of rice and corn, and get more accurate production data for effectively managing the country's food supply through agricultural digitalization.

Rice-sufficient by 2028

Meanwhile, when asked if the DA believes the country can be self-sufficient in rice by 2028, De Mesa answered: “Pipilitin natin na mailatag ang lahat ng programa. Pangunahin na sa irigasyon para masiguro natin na ang gusto ng ating Pangulo, kasama ng ating Kalihim, ay mapataas yung antas ng ating lokal na produskyon lalo na ang palay. (We will insist on laying out all the programs, mainly in irrigation, so that we can ensure that what our President wants, together with our Secretary, is to increase the level of our local production, especially rice.)"

NIA acting administrator Engr. Eduardo Guillen said in a radio interview on Sunday that following their plans to construct more dams and improve the country's irrigation systems, the Philippines may be rice-sufficient by 2028.

“I am confident that by maybe 2028, we will be rice-sufficient because of the area we can add for irrigation.”