The Department of Agriculture, or DA, will be the catalyst in making the agriculture sector a prime growth driver and a creator of wealth for its workers who are currently among the poorest members of the labor force, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said during a presentation at a Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, meeting.

Laurel said he told the FAO regional gathering that the focus of the Philippines is to make agriculture a source of high-paying jobs, competitive products, and viable investment alternatives.

The DA chief elaborated on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision for a modernized agriculture sector in the Philippine statement at the high-level ministerial session of the 37th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The APRC is FAO’s highest regional governing body and guides the United Nations body. The Philippines has been a member of FAO since it was established in 1945.

To modernize the agriculture sector, Laurel said the DA plans to increase investments in cutting-edge technologies and innovations; develop a blue economy to protect and optimize coastal and marine resources; and enhance the country’s capacity to collect, use and analyze agricultural data to foster food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development.

“We need to urgently improve productivity, resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability of our farm product systems to make our farmers and fisherfolk more prosperous and our people more food secure,” Laurel said.

The agriculture secretary also sought greater regional cooperation in addressing climate change’s impact on farms and adopting a “One Health” approach against threats to human, animal, plant, and environmental health and the associated food security and nutrition risks.

Laurel said the Philippines will also strive for an open, predictable, and fair trade in inputs and products and to empower farm families, women, and the youth to become agents of change for the transition to sustainable and resilient agriculture.

“The country recognizes that achieving sustainable food and nutrition security requires a whole-of-society approach with government utilizing multi-sectoral and multi-level platforms. We stand ready to do our part and work with all stakeholders,” Laurel said.

The FAO forum is held bi-annually to assemble high-level officials, mainly agriculture ministers from FAO member states in the region, to discuss challenges related to food and agriculture.

FAO cites aquaculture potential

At the bilateral meeting, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu cited the local aquaculture sector as a promising industry that could provide a decent livelihood, improve food security and nutrition, and contribute to growth.

Laurel recognized the efforts of the FAO Philippines country team in support of the government’s plan to achieve food security through emergency assistance, including improvements in agricultural and fisheries productivity.

He also commended the leadership and persistence of FAO’s representative in the Philippines, Dr. Lionel Dabbadie, who has been closely coordinating with the government and various stakeholders to align and complement FAO in-country initiatives with national priorities and address pressing issues affecting the country’s agri-fishery sector.