Phl seeks funding for agrifood system

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

At the just concluded four-day Asia and the Pacific Food Systems Forum held from Monday to Thursday this week at the Asian Development Bank at its headquarters in Mandaluyong, the Philippines’ First National Investment program was highlighted as part of the ADB gathering.

The Philippines is hoping to raise up to P1 billion from private investors for  high-value crops that include cacao, coffee, mango and seaweed, which the Department of Agriculture hopes will raise the country’s export earnings due to the global demand for those four agricultural products.

Cacao is a key ingredient in chocolate production. Demand for chocolates continues to rise even as production is experiencing a shortage. Coffee is a global beverage, while demand for mangoes has also increased. Seaweed, from which carrageenan is extracted, is used as a thickener, stabilizer and gelling agent for food products and also in the production of toothpaste.

ADB country director Andrew Jeffries, in his opening remarks, noted that the Philippines “ is at a serious pivotal moment” as the agri food system “continues to shape employment, rural development and national food security.” 

He acknowledged that the Philippines faces structural constraints, with pockets of “low agricultural productivity, fragmented markets, some underdeveloped or more costly, logistics” that has limited the sector’s potential. 

At the same time, Jeffries said, “the Philippines is very climate exposed. Typhoons, floods, even droughts, and this can have recurring damage to farms, irrigation systems, supply chains and the livelihoods of a lot of the Filipino people.” 

Such challenges, he continued, “are not simply technical. They’re deeply linked to inclusive growth and social well being. And we also have a dual burden of malnutrition. There’s the persistent child stunting going on, and at the same time, rising levels of obesity. So this all signals the need for food systems, not just to deliver more food, but  to deliver more nutritious food for the Filipino people. So, addressing productivity, climate resilience and nutrition together is essential for ensuring that no community is left behind. And that’s why today’s forum matters, and through the UN, FAO, Hand in Hand Initiative, the government has identified priority investment areas across the agri food system.” 

The Philippines’ First National Investment Forum in 2026, he said, “represents an important opportunity, a shift from the broad policy aspirations towards concrete, targeted investments that can drive transformation at scale.” 

Wednesday’s forum, according to Jeffries, hopes to tackle issues that will enhance productive resilience for various climate, natural disaster and market risks as well. Another issue that was tackled was modernizing agricultural logistics to reduce losses and improve efficiency and lower ultimate end user costs. And the third is to strengthen value chains to boost competitiveness, nutrition and create economic opportunity more widely. 

In concluding his remarks, Jeffries stressed that “agri food system transformation requires coordinated public action, but even more so, it needs strong market driven investment, innovation and entrepreneurship. So let’s collectively share insights today that can feed directly into more targeted policy reforms, better aligned institutional roles and a more coherent investment plan. Because ultimately the goal is to support an overall food system that’s climate resilient, economically vibrant, nutrition sensitive and truly inclusive.”

Agriculture Undersecretary Asis Perez, in response, agreed that agriculture remains central to the livelihood of millions of Filipinos. “Yet, despite this importance, the sector continues to face structural challenges. And of course, whenever there’s a challenge, there’s also an opportunity.”

He revealed that over the past two decades, “the agro-fishery sector has continued to generate substantial economic value, with the gross value added, reaching about P900 billion in the first half of 2025, reflecting a modest growth compared to the same period in 2024.” 

Some sub-sectors, he said, “such as crab and poultry, showed positive momentum, whilst livestock  and fisheries remain under pressure.” Among the pressures he cited  are outbreaks, resource depletion and climate impacts which have resulted in a decline in those  sectors’ contribution  to  the national GDP.

“Over the past 20 years, this reflects structural transformation of the economy, but also highlights the need to strengthen agricultural productivity and resilience. “Despite this smaller GVA share of eight percent today, Usec. Perez said, “agriculture remains strategically important for food security, rural livelihood and national stability.”  Our food system, he said, is a mixed picture in terms of self-sufficiency across commodities.

The Philippines, he pointed out, “performs strongly in several high value crops, including bananas, pineapple, mango, cassava. These commodities even exceeded domestic requirements and support our export markets. However, we continue to face significant gaps in staple food and key protein. For example, self-sufficiency  in rice remains below national demand. While  several  livestock rely heavily on imports.” 

Beyond economic indicators, Perez stressed, “agriculture is fundamentally about people and livelihood. Around one in five Filipino works in agriculture, representing more than 10 million individuals involved in farming, fisheries and related activities.” 

He lamented the fact that although there are 11 million registered producers, including farmers, farm workers, and fisherfolks, “Poverty remains disproportionately high among these groups. Approximately 27 percent of farmers and 27.4 percent  of our fisherfolk are  below the poverty threshold. This is significantly higher than the national average of poverty of 15 percent. These numbers remind us that improving the food system is not only about increasing production. It is equally about improving income opportunities and the resilience of local communities.”