3 weeks ago
8
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
By JADE VERONIQUE YAP, GMA Integrated News
Published May 13, 2025 2:56pm
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is ramping up efforts to modernize and transform the country’s agricultural sector, with a focus on bold reforms, digital innovation, and stronger public-private partnerships.
In behalf of DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Agriculture Director Karen Roscom delivered the keynote speech at the 2025 Food and Drinks Summit held at the Novotel Manila.
“Food security is a whole-of-system challenge, and each of us has a role to play,” Tiu Laurel said in his speech read by Roscom, stressing "policies alone will not drive transformation.”
According to Tiu Laurel, a “strong synergy between government and industry, and the full inclusion of farmers and fisherfolk as equal partners in national development" is needed.
Citing the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the agri chief said the agriculture and fisheries saw growth by just 1.6%, with a 1.8% decline recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.
“These numbers speak to the urgent need for bold systemic reforms,” he said, adding the sector has seen a significant recovery in 2025, with a 1.9% growth in the first quarter.
“This recovery is a sign of momentum,” the Secretary said.
To maintain this upward trajectory, the DA is banking on a combination of infrastructure rollouts, technological innovation, and disease management.
Among the major developments is the planned deployment of a long-awaited vaccine for African swine fever, which is expected to pave the way for large-scale livestock repopulation.
“The Asia Development Map projects that the Philippines' GDP could grow by 6% this year, and agriculture plays a crucial role in sustaining that trajectory,” the Secretary added. “Our farmers feed a growing nation. They must be part of its resurgence.”
To modernize the sector, the DA is adopting a market-oriented and technology-driven strategy. This includes digital transformation initiatives like AI-powered tools for soil and weed detection, remote sensing, and e-training platforms.
“Nearly 100,000 farmers have already been trained under our Digital Farmers Program,” he said.
Infrastructure is also a focus, according to Tiu Laurel. As of now, the DA has completed over 450 agri-infrastructure projects, such as farm-to-market roads, fish ports, and food storage facilities. In addition, agriculture insurance now protects more than 1.3 million farmers, livestock raisers, and fishers.
“Through the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program, aligned yields have improved from 3.3 to 4.2 metric pounds per hectare, with the first quarter yields again at 4.09 metric pounds. We are also expanding value-chain innovation,” he added.
Apart from that, the DA is also building strategic partnerships with major food and beverage companies such as Jollibee and Nestlé that are “creating real, on-the-ground opportunities for Filipino farmers.”
The Secretary also shared there are ongoing collaborations with global institutions to develop high-yield, climate-resilient rice varieties and deploy precision agriculture.
“We can no longer operate with a business-as-usual mindset,” Tiu Laurel said. “The food system of the future requires bold investment, stronger public-private cooperation, and action—not tomorrow, but today.”
With the theme “Fostering Food Tech Innovation,” the summit gathered over 300 experts from the food and beverage to talk about food innovation, collaboration, and sustainability.
