The Department of Agriculture will hold a National Food Summit on April 4 to tackle the country’s farm sector growth by harmonizing the national government’s food sufficiency program with those of the local government units and private sector stakeholders, the DA said in a press release.

Secretary Arthur Yap said in the press release that through the food summit, the DA  sees to synchronized efforts pertaining to raising farm yields, attracting investments and creating jobs in the countryside, and stabilizing the supply and prices of basic foodstuff.

Part of the national food summit is the series of area-wide consultations this month until March with multi-sectoral stakeholders.

Central areas of concern of the summit participants include five commodity clusters, namely, rice, corn, high-value commercial crops, livestock and poultry, and fisheries and aquaculture, the press release said.

The action plans will  complement the DA’s five-pillar program that focuses on higher spending on irrigation and rural infrastructure, on post harvest facilities, and on research and development or R&D and extension work; relaxing the rural credit pinch; and opening more local and foreign markets for Philippine products, the press release also said.

The food summit will be participated in by members of Congress and representatives of government agencies like the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, the DA regional field units and LGUs.

The DA will also invite representatives of farmers and fishers organizations, industry and professional associations, sectoral groups like consumers and transport organizations, academe and regional development councils, the press release added.*

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