“Kasangga natin ang mga AFCs sa ating laban upang pasiglahin ang sektor ng pagsasaka at pangingisda para sa kaunlaran ng bansa,” said Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Agnes Catherine Miranda in delivering the keynote speech, on behalf of Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, during the 17th Mindanao Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) Congress.
More than a hundred AFC members from the six regions of Mindanao attended the event on October 25 to 26, 2022 in Butuan, Agusan Del Norte to discuss the agriculture and fisheries situation and address the challenges facing their cluster areas.
Led by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), officials from the local government units of CARAGA and the DA graced the Congress to express their utmost appreciation and support to the AFCs.
“Through this AFC Congress, we take advantage of the wisdom of all Mindanao AFCs to capacitate ourselves further and become productive partners of DA in shaping policies that respond to the call of the times to improve food and nutrition security and strengthen the value chain,” ASec. Miranda added.
The Assistant Secretary, along with other DA representatives, discussed the Department’s new directives and food security programs in the first two days of the Congress. These included the Mainstreaming Tools of the Philippine Rural Development Projects in the Regular DA System and the DA National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program.
PCAF Executive Director Nestor Domenden also elaborated on the agency’s near- and medium-term plans that involve the operations of the AFCs.
On October 27, the AFCs then joined the Areawide Participatory Performance Review and Planning Workshop.
Each region proposed its 2023 policy agendas to align with the current thrust and directions of the new administration on food security and job creation through a modernized agriculture and fisheries sector.
Officer-in-Charge Deputy Executive Director (OIC-DED) Julieta Opulencia lauded the AFCs for their physical and financial accomplishments for the three quarters for the year, which they were able to review during the workshop.
“Your dedication in dialogues and consultations is truly irreplaceable, especially in times of need. Taos puso po kaming nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat. Dahil sa inyo, maraming Pilipino ang may masustansyang pagkain sa kanilang hapagkainan”, she added.
She then encouraged the regions to work on their remaining targets for the year, particularly the drafting of policy resolutions and monitoring reports as well as membership expansion.
“Now that we are in the last quarter of the year, let us give our best to turn this year into a win for our sector,” OIC-DED Opulencia urged.
The AFCs of Mindanao also provided inputs to PCAF’s 2024 Plan and Budget Proposal during the planning workshop which could enhance the operations of the agency and the AFCs.
PCAF, as the participatory hub of the Department of Agriculture, manages the nationwide network of private sector-led AFCs that contribute to the development of good governance and conducive policy environment for the agriculture and fisheries sector. | JCL
