Around 50 representatives from various sectors converge in Bacolod City starting today for the two-day Visayas Agricultural Roadmapping Conference-Workshop: “Transforming Philippine Agriculture through Sound and Coherent Farm, Trade and Rural Development Policies” at the Check Inn Pension.

The gathering, which hosts farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, millers, planters and participants from non-government organizations, the academe, local governments and national government agencies, is being organized by the Fair Trade Alliance and the Center for Research and Special Studies in collaboration with the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement-Negros.

The conference reels off today with discussions on various agricultural development perspectives in the Visayas, including those from the Department of Agriculture, farmers and NGOs. In the afternoon, workshops will be conducted on trade and development and on agrarian reform.

Tomorrow, a session on the “The Agrarian Crisis: Why a Philippine Farm Bill” will be discussed by the Office of Rep. Rene Velarde, which will be followed by the launching of the Visayas Fair Trade Network to be discussed by FTA executive director Rene Ofreneo.

PRRM-Negros said it holding the conference-workshop on context that the Philippine agriculture is in the doldrums and  stagnation was brought about by structural adjustment programs, which started in the 80’s and the different market access liberalizations commitments in the World Trade Organization, ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, and the several regional agreements like ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Korea, among others.

It said that for former senator and FTA convenor Wigberto Tañada, the challenge is how to transform agriculture as a motor of economic growth and how the different policies surrounding it can be developed in a holistic manner to bring about this transformation and renewal.

We want to plan for the sustainable development of agriculture in the holistic and coherent manner, Tañada added.*

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