The forum on June 25 at Chardonnay by Astoria in Pasig City brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and private sector innovators to chart a sustainable path for the nation’s food systems.
Participants agreed that true food security goes beyond increasing crop yields; it requires a modern agribusiness ecosystem that protects production value and empowers producers.
A keynote address underscored the slow pace of global progress, noting that 673 million people worldwide still face hunger and that Asia, home to the largest number of affected individuals, lags behind.
Recent global crises—pandemics, geopolitical tensions, and regional conflicts—have repeatedly exposed vulnerabilities in agri‑food networks.
The discussion highlighted a critical shift in how agricultural development is financed, moving beyond public funding toward a partnership among government, private capital, development finance, and farmers’ own investment.
For the private sector, agriculture is now viewed as a viable investment space rather than a domain awaiting governmental leadership.
Farmers themselves are the largest investors in agriculture and fisheries, emphasizing the need for collaborative solutions that treat resilience as a protective value rather than a sunk cost.
Former Agriculture Secretary William Dar stressed that productivity alone will not solve long‑standing sector problems; efficient logistics and value chains are essential.
He highlighted that many farmers produce high‑quality crops but lose income due to fragmented supply chains, costly logistics, post‑harvest losses, and regulatory hurdles.
Dar called for a streamlined farm‑to‑market system that integrates inputs, production, consolidation, processing, logistics, marketing, and export, and urged a review of existing programs and projects.
Undersecretary Mary Jean Pacheco explained that the government’s objective is to make food available, affordable, and accessible for all through a more efficient supply chain.
She noted that the Department of Trade and Industry collaborates with agriculture, transportation, public works, health, and other agencies to improve the movement of agricultural products.
Danilo Fausto pointed out that the country’s geography, with thousands of islands, creates unique challenges for building an efficient supply chain.
He advocated for container barges, additional farm‑to‑market roads, and improved cold storage to reduce transportation losses throughout the supply chain.
Infrastructure remains a top priority, with integrated transport networks identified as essential for efficient logistics.
Ease of doing business is crucial to attract private investment, especially for small farms that struggle to achieve economies of scale.
To address this, the forum emphasized farmer clustering, consolidation, and social enterprise models that enable collective leverage with the private sector.
Four key priorities were outlined for the supply chain strategy: infrastructure, investment, policy improvements across land, sea, and air transport, and workforce development.
The second panel focused on creating an inclusive financial ecosystem and adopting practical technology to support farmers and fisherfolk.
Efforts aim to increase credit availability, with programs offering zero‑interest loans for small farmers and fisherfolk, youth agripreneur support, and disaster assistance.
Panelists stressed that timely financing is more critical than low interest rates, as farmers need credit when it is most needed.
They called for a mindset shift, encouraging farmers to view themselves as entrepreneurs and inspiring greater youth participation in the sector.
Innovation should be practical, scalable, and locally developed, with digital solutions that directly benefit farmers and avoid reliance on foreign technology.
Achieving food security will require a coordinated effort that addresses physical bottlenecks, financial ecosystems, technological adoption, and farmer empowerment.
