President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. lauded the men and women of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for their life-long dedication and hardwork in serving and shaping the country’s society.
“Marami talagang magaling na tao sa Department of Agriculture. At marami talaga na wala talagang ibang iniisip at ginagawa kundi makahanap ng paraan para pagandahin ang buhay ng ating mga magsasaka, para patibayin ang ating tinatawag na food supply,” Pres. Marcos said.
The President, who also serves as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), graced the celebration of the 125th Founding Anniversary of the Department on June 20, 2023.
In his message, President Marcos stressed the agency’s key contributions to the development of the Philippine economy.
“As we look back to the long and storied past of this institution, it is crucial that we remember the development of the Department over the past 125 years and we must also recognize its impact on the lives of farmers, fisherfolk, and the Filipino people,” Marcos said.
He stated that the Department has achieved many milestones over the last 125 years, including the implementation of the Masagana 99 program, which enabled the country to be self-sufficient in rice and enabled the country to export.
Other significant accomplishments are the implementation of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Modernization Act of 1997 that mobilized rural development and modernization of the country’s agriculture and fisheries sectors, and the promotion of urban agriculture to address food supply concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic.
President Marcos highlighted the importance of agriculture to the growth and development of the Philippine economy, stressing that it must be continuously developed in order for the country to succeed.
“Agriculture is and will always be an important contributor to our national economy. In the first quarter of 2023, the agriculture sector grew by 2.2 percent while contributing 9.1 percent to our total gross domestic product,” Marcos said.
“And every analysis, kahit hindi magsasaka ang gagawa ng analysis, kahit na ‘yung mga nasa bangko, kahit na ‘yung World Bank,ADB (Asian Development Bank), lagi nilang sinasabi hindi aahon ang ekonomiya ninyo kung hindi gaganda ang agrikultura ninyo dahil lahat ng ating ginagawa sa ekonomiya ay pinagbabasehan ang matibay at masigla na agricultural sector,” he added.
President Marcos stated that, despite some modern gains of the DA, there are still several initiatives ahead to improve the sector through various programs and projects such as adopting climate-resilient and cutting-edge agricultural technologies to prepare the country for potential contingencies.
The chief executive stressed that the government must adopt and implement cutting-edge technology and best practices that would not only increase the country’s productivity and quality of life for Filipinos, but will also open the door to more investments and market opportunities from other countries.
He said that the DA will continue to develop interventions to promote agri-fishery practices, boost the competitiveness of our agri-fishery goods, and increase the income of Filipino farmers and fisherfolks.
“Let us continue to engage in collaborative dialogue with experts, researchers, and rural workers to solve the roots of the lingering problems,” Marcos said.
Pres. Marcos said that all of the DA’s goals and targets would eventually be realized since the elements required to make them a reality are already in place.
“We have the expertise. We have the experience. We have the knowledge. We have the motivation to make things work. And so that is why, we’re putting all our efforts into a single plan that everyone can follow,” Marcos said. ### (Kristel Joyce Merle, DA-AFID)
