“This MOU is a realization of the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a modern and sustainable farm sector for the country’s food security and farmers’ prosperity,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
Under the deal, Megawide will support the rollout of agro-solar farming systems integrating crop production with renewable energy, alongside the construction of food-processing plants and wholesale food terminals to improve storage and distribution.
The DA said the infrastructure program is expected to cut post-harvest losses by 30 percent to 50 percent, a longstanding constraint on farmer incomes and competitiveness.
The projects will also support clustered farming enterprises, allowing smallholders to pool resources, adopt modern technology, and scale up to commercial operations linked to these facilities.
In a separate development, the DA is advancing another MOU with the National Power Corp. and Asian Pyrochem Technologies Inc. for Sustainable Agroforestry Farming Enterprise (Project SAFE) in watershed areas.
Project SAFE will promote agroforestry production of cacao, coffee, bamboo, and abaca, while integrating carbon financing and nature-based solutions, as well as business-to-business barter systems to improve farmers’ access to inputs and markets.
