The National Banner Program Committee on High-Value Crops- Fruits and Vegetables (NBPC on HVC-FV) adopted a policy resolution recommending the inclusion of the Department of Agriculture-Gender and Development (DA-GAD) focal persons in the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council meetings particularly in their Women/GAD Committees during their 4th quarter meeting on November 5, 2021.

Philippine Fiber Development Authority Deputy Executive Director and Program Head for the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Annray Villota-Rivera discussed empowerment of women in agriculture during the said meeting.

Her presentation covered the challenges faced by women involved in agriculture such as non-recognition as farmers and fisherfolk, low/limited access and control over productive resources, and gender wage gap as well as the efforts being pushed by DA-GAD in order to address these problems.

DED Rivera also highlighted the DA-GAD Accomplishment for 2020 where the Actual GAD Budget of PhP3.83Billion was able to achieve 69.62% utilization despite the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions translating to 11.26% of GAD expenditure which is higher than what is provided in the Magna Carta of Women of at least 5% of the agency’s total budget appropriations.

For 2022, DA-GAD plans to pilot Women in Agriculture Project on agri-preneurship, coordinative work with the Inter-Agency Committee on Rural Women to address issues on land rights and other concerns, craft more gender-responsive planning and implementations of the programs/projects of DA, and capacity building/application of gender mainstreaming tools. | CCB