LGUs urged to support agri development plans

CEBU, Philippines - Part of helping the farm sector recover is for local government units to support agricultural productivity to address rural poverty.

The Regional Development Council-7 said it wants LGUs to develop their agri-fishery development plans as one of the council's priorities this year for enhanced output.

The government must invest more on infrastructure, technology and manpower development to address the slow growth of agriculture.

National Economic and Development Authority-7 Director Efren Carreon, who is also RDC-7 vice-chair, said RDC would teach LGUs on how to create growth plans and how can they be more involved in the sector’s development process.

PLANS

The council’s plans are to upgrade municipal agriculture offices and employ workers for them and to build stronger collaboration between the agriculture office and other agencies.

“The lead of this project is the DA (Department of Agriculture) and we committed to support because it has impact to the regional economy,” Carreon told The FREEMAN. “If productivity will improve, it will enhance our GRDP (gross regional domestic product) performance.”

In a previous interview, DA-7 Director Angel Enriquez urged mayors and governors to help improve farm output in their respective localities. Agricultural productivity which ensures food security should be prioritized, she noted.

The implementation of the P27-billion Philippine Rural Development Program, Carreon said, must be fast tracked by urging farmers’ groups, LGUs and private sector players to submit plans for rural development.

The World Bank-funded PRDP is demand-driven, meaning project proposals are needed to use the fund for which the country is paying interest to the Washington-based lender.

The NEDA official also added the expansion of seaweed farming and use of coastal areas for increased fish production would also drive up rural income.

Majority of the poor people work in the agriculture industry where income is seasonal and low, he explained.

“That partly explains why many workers in the agri sector have the tendency to migrate to urban areas,” he said. “The employment and productivity in agriculture is low, that’s why it’s important manufacturing will expand at the same time we give focus to agri.”

Increased farm yield will help develop the labor-intensive manufacturing industry and also the services sector.

DATA

Data from the statistics agency showed Central Visayas’ agricultural production plunged by 4.82 percent in the first semester of 2014.

Philippine farm output last year grew 1.83 percent, lower than the government’s 3 percent goal for 2014; although this is up from 1.15 percent growth in 2013.

The agriculture agency expects farm yield to grow between 3 to 5 percent this year on the back of improving rice production. — Carlo S. Lorenciana (FREEMAN)