A farm-to-market road (FMR) masterplan, higher agricultural production, credit and affordable farm inputs, and improved research and development (R&D) are among the priorities of the proposed 2023 budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations--led by its chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co--held its budget hearing with the DA on Monday, Sept. 5.
“Marcos Jr. emphasized that one of the main drivers of our push for growth and employment will be in the agriculture sector...The Department must work double time to address the gap in food supply and spike in prices and address the looming global food crisis,” Co said in his opening statement.
Appropriations panel senior vice chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo gave a quick breakdown of what the budget priorities would be.
“The President, as the concurrent agriculture secretary, has given his marching orders: formulate a farm-to-market road masterplan, enhance agricultural production in the next planting season, provide credit and affordable farm inputs to farmers, and ramp up research and development for the sector,” said Quimbo during the hearing.
Meanwhile, Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin–on behalf of DA budget lead sponsor Isabela 1st district Rep. Antonio Albano–briefed the panel on the President’s directives on the agricultural budget. Garin is also set to sponsor the DA budget on the upcoming plenary budget deliberations.
“Under his leadership, the agency has proposed a total of P163.8 billion for its 2023 budget. This is an increase of almost 40 percent from the 2022 budget of the agency. This proves that the President is indeed serious in his commitment to make Food Security a top priority in his eight-point socio-economic program,” Garin said.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been acting as secretary of agriculture, athough he was not present during the DA budget hearing. He is currently on a state visit in Indonesia.
Garin clarified that the DA budget proposal was adjusted as per Marcos’s directives.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/28/da-budget-hiked-by-44-in-2023-funding-drought-over-says-recto/
“Upon the President's assumption of leadership in the department, DA has recalibrated its FY 2023 proposal based on His Excellency's directives of boosting local production, reducing production costs, and raising income of farmer and fisherfolk, while ensuring availability of safe and nutritious food at all times,” she explained.
She then listed the DA’s three key interventions to stabilize food production levels to meet local demand amid rising prices.
“Firstly, production enhancement programs such as the National Rice Program, an intensified vegetable production program, the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion program for livestock and poultry subsectors, and the Fisheries Production Program, under the BFAR ,” she said.
“Secondly, the DA will also focus on strengthening the coconut industry through implementing the Coconut Industry Development Program," she added.
“Lastly, the department will direct resources towards accelerating and optimizing our water resources through supporting irrigation development programs under the NIA (National Irrigation Administration),” Quimbo said.
Garin then detailed the budgetary plans for improving farmers’ credit and financial assistance.
“On the end of credit assistance, the agricultural credit and policy council has a proposed budget of P2.75 billion. This allocation will be directed towards granting loans to more than 30,000 farmers and fisherfolk and 130 MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises). For financial assistance, on the other hand, the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering and the BFAR will be at the forefront of providing fuel assistance to 300,000 of our farmers and fisherfolk.”
Lastly, she claimed that the budget would provide for better construction of farm-to-market roads and added that proceeds from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) would be used to enhance local farming systems through “providing inbred seeds, training, machineries, equipment, credit, and scholarships".