ROME, Italy – Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. on Tuesday (October 15) met Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to strengthen collaboration between Manila and FAO, particularly in agricultural development and food security. The collaboration aims to align these initiatives with global efforts to transform agri-food systems.
In his opening statement, Sec. Tiu Laurel cited the importance of the Philippines and FAO’s ongoing partnership, expressing gratitude to the FAO chief for their previous discussions during the 37th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in Sri Lanka. “It is a pleasure to reconnect with you, Director-General Qu, following our initial discussions in February. I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in the 2024 World Food Forum and present the Philippines’ Hand-in-Hand Investment proposal,” he said.
During the forum, the Philippines unveiled its strategic investment plan that targets four key commodity sectors: abaca, bamboo, mango, and seaweed. These sectors are crucial in boosting local economies, creating jobs, and supporting sustainable development. Sec. Tiu Laurel noted the strong interest from potential partners and mentioned that follow-up discussions would occur throughout the week to explore collaborative pathways.
The Philippine delegation to Rome includes officials from the Department of Agriculture involved in official development assistance, agribusiness investment, international affairs, and export development. High-level representatives from the private sector like seaweed, coconut, tuna, and fertilizers also joined the Rome gathering. Ambassador Nathaniel Imperial, who heads the Philippine Permanent Representation in Rome, joined the meeting, underscoring the Philippines’ commitment to strengthening ties with Italy and other European partners.
Sec. Tiu Laurel stressed the importance of enhancing trade partnerships and technological cooperation to modernize agri-food systems. “We are keen to develop our agriculture sector through increased trade and investment. The Philippines is dedicated to creating sustainable livelihoods for our farmers and fisherfolk,” he said.
The ongoing collaboration between the Philippines and FAO was a key topic of discussion. Sec. Tiu Laurel expressed appreciation for the 19 national projects currently implemented by FAO in the Philippines, totaling USD 41 million, along with 16 additional global and regional projects. He reaffirmed the Philippine government’s commitment to leveraging FAO’s expertise to meet its agricultural goals.
Director-General Qu commended the Philippines for its strategic focus on agriculture and food security. He reiterated FAO’s readiness to assist the country in accessing multilateral funds, emphasizing the potential for future collaborations, particularly through the Pandemic Fund under the World Bank.
“FAO stands ready to continue supporting the Philippines in building resilient agricultural systems that can withstand health and climate-related crises,” Qu said.
The meeting also focused on transformative initiatives undertaken by the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s leadership, as outlined in his 2024 State of the Nation Address. The agri chief cited government’s commitment to agriculture, noting significant investments aimed at modernizing the sector, expanding infrastructure, and increasing local rice production. However, he acknowledged that challenges like natural disasters, agricultural smuggling, and supply chain fragmentation remain pressing issues.
“In response to these challenges, the Philippine government has increased the agriculture sector budget to P167.5 billion, focusing on irrigation, cold storage, farm-to-market roads, and direct support for farmers. We welcome FAO’s continued support as we work to overcome these hurdles and ensure the long-term prosperity of our agricultural communities,” the agriculture chief said in his closing remarks. ###
