Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has formed three teams to head the feasibility studies of the department’s priority infrastructure projects aiming to boost local food production, particularly rice and corn.

Laurel has designated Undersecretary for Special Concerns and Official Development Assistance Jerome Oliveros as the chairperson across all three project preparation teams in charge of drafting the framework and plans for the proposed post-harvest program for rice and corn, the solar-powered cold storages, and the proposed solar-powered irrigation systems.

Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro, on the other hand, will be Oliveros’ co-chairman for the team that will prepare the feasibility study on the post-harvest program for rice and corn, while Undersecretary for High-Value Crops Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero will be the co-chairperson of the team in charge of the proposed solar-powered irrigation system project.

DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa will be the vice chairman of the team that will prepare the solar-powered cold storage project.

Laurel ordered the teams to ensure the project documents comply with the requirements of the DA-wide project clearing house system and the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee.

Moreover, as a special instruction to the team preparing for the solar-powered irrigation system project, the agriculture chief directed the team to ensure consistency on the proposed sites in the database of the National Irrigation Administration and with the Bureau of Soil and Water Management irrigation masterplan.

In January, Laurel said that the government needs at least ₱93 billion to build post-harvest facilities in the next three years to save ₱10.7 billion a year on rice and corn wastage.

He said that the DA has a P1 billion allocation for this year's completion of cold storage facilities to address Luzon’s vegetable waste.