A senator on Wednesday said the government must create a more encouraging environment to support rural development, food security and the empowerment of farmers and fisherfolk.

In a meeting with officials from the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries, Senator Francis Pangilinan — who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform — highlighted his ongoing efforts to aid the country’s agricultural sector.

“The private sector has the deepest pocket, not really the government. But the only reason the private sector is not inspired is because the government is not inspiring,” Pangilinan said.

He cited that the poor performance of government-supported crops like rice, coconut and sugar, compared to the success of privately produced pineapples, mangoes and bananas, shows the need for private sector participation.