The newly appointed Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Philippines, H.E. Jana Šedivá, accompanied by Mr. Benjamin Žiga, Head of the Economic and Trade Section of the Embassy of Czech Republic, paid a courtesy visit to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol on 21 February 2019 to discuss the strengthening of trade and cooperation in agriculture between both countries. The Secretary congratulated the Ambassador on her new role and expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Czech government to assist in the development of the agricultural sector of the country. Both the Secretary and the Ambassador agreed to continue and enhance cooperation on dairy and agricultural mechanization. The Secretary also expressed interest to increase Philippine agricultural exports to Czech Republic. He likewise welcomed the strategic importation of commodities that would improve the output of Filipino producers. (Photo by Alarico Nuestro, DA-AFID)