Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. over the weekend underscored modernization and mechanization as the agency’s top agenda, citing the need to empower the country’s agricultural workforce.

He said he has envisioned the role innovation could play in the Department of Agriculture as it targets a more efficient and competitive agri-fisheries sector.

Laurel said the DA aims to make significant investments in post-harvest and logistics, including the establishment of cold storage facilities, dryers, and silos.

Likewise, the development of strategically placed deep-water agricultural ports nationwide would help address the logistical needs of the agri-sector and hopefully reduce the cost of inputs like feeds and fertilizer, he said.

“At the heart of this plan is digitalization, designed to streamline processes and real-time monitoring to enhance decision-making in the allocation of resources to ensure optimum productivity and profits across the agricultural value chain,” Laurel said.

He, however, noted that innovation goes beyond technology.

“By expanding agri-fisheries areas, optimizing and increasing irrigation facilities, and enhancing the quality of our soil, we are laying the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector,” Laurel said.

He pledged the DA’s continuing efforts to revive the local salt and garlic industry.

“Because we are importing 90 percent of our garlic and also the ginger industry, among others, and strengthening the aquaculture sector so that we can have more fish to feed our families,” he said.

In April, the National Food Authority (NFA) approved a P10-billion modernization plan that aims to construct more post-harvest facilities to increase the country’s drying and milling capacity for palay. NFA officer-in-charge administrator Larry Lacson recently said that at present, the country has a drying capacity of only 31,000 metric tons (MT), far below its target of 495,000 MT.