In collaboration with the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE), the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) hosted the blended public consultation for the updating of the National Agricultural and Fishery Mechanization Program (NAFMP) on September 6, 2022 in Quezon City.

The activity aimed to generate awareness of NAFMP among its public and private stakeholders and to include their inputs in finalizing the Program.

Farmer-leaders, key industry players, and state colleges and universities representatives joined the said consultation. Also in attendance were the officials of the Department of Agriculture, led by the Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations Mercedita Sombilla, and its attached bureaus, agencies, corporations, and regional field offices.

“Mechanization is really a key intervention that we really need to strengthen in order to modernize and enhance the resiliency of the agriculture sector,” said USec. Sombilla.

As discussed in the meeting, the NAFMP serves as a guide in the national planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and regulation of agricultural and fisheries mechanization initiatives. 

It consists of five components—Local Assembly Manufacturing, Research, Development, and Extension, Support Services and Institutional Development, Standards and Regulations, and Human Resource and Development—that will steer the promotion and production of locally-made engines and machineries for the agri-fisheries sector.

One of the major agreements was the annual updating of the NAFMP to incorporate the agriculture and fisheries mechanization plans and programs of local government units.

PCAF was also requested to arrange a meeting with local manufacturers and representatives from BAFE and government financial institutions to discuss credit and subsidy services for local manufacturers and assemblers. | JCL