The Department of Agriculture (DA) is investing P550 million over the next two years to build a nationwide network of seed storage facilities, betting bigger seed reserves will protect farm output from climate-related disruptions and strengthen the country’s food supply.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Saturday the agency aims to establish seed storage systems in every region.

Seed storage in all regions

“Our target is to have seed storage systems in all regions to avoid a repeat of what happened in Baguio, where we didn’t have enough carrot seeds to replace those washed out,” Tiu Laurel said.

The lack of carrot seeds forced farmers to plant cabbage instead, resulting in a carrot shortage and a cabbage glut, illustrating how seed shortages can quickly ripple through food supply, prices and farm incomes.

Larger storage facilities

The DA has allocated P250 million this year to build larger storage facilities in Bicol, Cagayan Valley, Panay and Iloilo, with another P300 million proposed for 2027 to expand the network nationwide.

The upgraded Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) facility has three 400-square-meter storage rooms that can hold up to 9,000 bags of seeds, mainly rice.

BPI director Glenn Panganiban said the refurbishment cost less than P3 million, with more than half spent on a solar power system that supplies about 60 percent of the facility’s electricity needs.

Solar power in warehouses

Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro said incorporating solar power into the warehouses is key to keeping operating costs low while ensuring the facilities remain operational during disruptions.