MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has reported that local government units have bought more than P1.58 billion worth of farmers’ and fisherfolks’ produce since the enhanced community quarantine against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was imposed on Metro Manila and other areas in the country.
In a statement released on Thursday, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that tons of agri-fishery products, ranging from palay, milled rice, corn, vegetables, fruits, pork, chicken, fish and spices, were purchased by LGUs directly from local farmers and fishers since March 15.
“We are indeed happy to report that since the start of the enforcement of the ECQ, around 245 LGUs heeded our call to patronize the products of our farmers and fishers and make these part of food packs distributed to their constituents. This number is certainly growing as we speak,” Dar said.
“The LGUs are our primary partners in cascading our sectoral interventions on production to consumption, marketing included. We would like to involve them in the entire value chain to make sure that our support mechanisms reach targeted beneficiaries,” he added.
The sales were monitored by the DA’s Regional Feld Offices (RFOs) through their respective Agribusiness Marketing and Assistance Division (AMAD).
The DA earlier called on local government units to buy agri-products and include in the relief packs being distributed to their constituents to help local farmers amid the public health crisis.
To focus and strengthen linkages between food producers and the markets, the department said it has formed four food value chain clusters – Luzon A (CAR and Regions 1 to 3), Luzon B (Regions 4A, 4B, and 5), Visayas (Regions 6 to 8, and Mindanao (Regions 9 to 13).
“Through the clusters, we plan the availability, pre-positioning, and movement of products from the municipal to provincial level, then regional, and finally among clusters,” Dar said.
“The mobility plan looks into the movement of agri-fishery commodities from producers, to traders, processors, and wholesalers/retailers, down to the household consumers,” he added.
The DA said that with the help of LGUs and other agencies, the clusters will identify prime agri-fishery commodities and potential markets, monitor the markets, and coordinate relevant concerns to develop location-specific resiliency plans aimed at attaining higher levels of food sufficiency.
“It is the DA’s job to ensure enough supply of food in the country. Our LGUs can count on us to link them to our food producers, while they help us market farmers’ produce and provide every household adequate and affordable food,” the DA chief said.
“In all, in partnership with the LGUs, the private sector, and farmers’ and fisherfolk’s groups, we ensure farmers of a ready market and steady income, as well as provide consumers with affordable, healthy, and nutritious food. Along the process, we also help stabilize the prices of basic commodities,” he added.
Dar also called on other LGUs to adopt the practice so it can be institutionalized even after the COVID-19 crisis and the country has moved on to the “new normal”.
