Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said Wednesday that 2024 is proving to be a litmus test for the Department of Agriculture and lessons learned from recent challenges should push the agency to do a better job next year.
During DA’s last management committee meeting this year, the DA chief described 2024 as a “perfect storm” of challenges that tested the mettle of various DA offices whose efforts and initiatives were praised by no less than President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Aside from producing food despite climate and disease challenges, Sec. Tiu Laurel said what earned the most praise is the initiative to stabilize food prices and supply because it helped tame inflation.
Inflation decelerated further in September to a four-year low 1.9 percent due mainly to lower food prices, particularly rice. More stable food prices, including sugar, onion and fish, also helped improve the trust rating of President Marcos, Jr., according to the latest survey of pollster Publicus Asia.
After a record rice harvest and creation of over half-a-million new jobs in 2023, he noted that the positive trend continued in the first half of the year, with the sector adding 8.5 million tons of palay and 3.7 million tons of corn to its harvest. Sec. Tiu Laurel proudly announced that “for the first time in nine years, the National Food Authority has ample supplies of palay.”
The DA chief acknowledged pressing issues affecting the sector, including high fuel and input costs, drought, floods due to La Nina, and disruptions in the value chain. However, he noted that these obstacles did not prevent the sector from achieving remarkable gains in livestock, poultry, and crop production, raising hopes for 2025.
“I expect that we should perform much, much better next year,” said Sec. Tiu Laurel, adding that the DA must be ready “to tackle whatever comes its way without excuses.”
In addressing food security, the agri chief cited the importance of actions taken against illegal activities in the agricultural sector.
“Even before Congress passed the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, the Department, through the Inspectorate and Enforcement Office, took action against smugglers, resulting in the seizure of hundreds of millions of pesos worth of illegally imported goods,” he said. The DA chief asserted that efforts against smugglers, profiteers, cartels, and hoarders would only intensify with the passage of the new legislation.
The DA secretary also discussed ongoing initiatives to combat animal diseases affecting the poultry and livestock industries. “We’re taking steps to actively address animal diseases… aiming to reduce importation and attract new investments in these subsectors of agriculture,” he explained.
Moving forward, Sec. Tiu Laurel stressed the need for continuous review and adaptation to the challenges posed by climate change and evolving technology. “Our success should be measured by how well the sector responds to the incentives and support we provide—initiatives funded by taxpayers’ money,” he said, stressing the importance of effective resource management.
He underscored DA’s commitment to establish robust national food security and increase the income of farmers and fisherfolk. He urged all bureaus and agencies to evaluate how their current programs align with these primary objectives. “It should be clear to everyone that the means to achieve these national objectives will be determined by each unit, bureau, and agency under this department,” he added. ###
