NUEVA VIZCAYA, PHILIPPINES — To strengthen agricultural productivity, safeguard market stability, and uplift the lowland vegetable industry, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office II (DA-RFO II) and the Provincial Government of Nueva Vizcaya, organized a two-day Stakeholder Engagement in Lowland Vegetables.
Held in Nueva Vizcaya—a strategic trading hub hosting the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT)—the consultation gathered more than 80 agricultural stakeholders, composed of farmer leaders, municipal agriculturists, Provincial Local Government Units (PLGUs), research institutions, civil society organizations, and national agency representatives to address pressing supply chain bottlenecks, validate industry issues, and inform the updating of the Philippine Lowland Vegetable Industry Roadmap.
Challenges and Priorities for the Vegetable Industry
The multi-stakeholder dialogue opened with key government officials reaffirming their commitment to institutionalizing participatory governance across the high-value crop sector. Representing DA-Regional Executive Director Dr. Rose Mary Aquino, DA-RFO II Regional Technical Director Ms. Kay Olivas welcomed participants and noted that while Region II remains a top vegetable producer, it faces persistent weather disruptions, price volatility, and agricultural smuggling.
In a recorded message, DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops Ms. Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero further highlighted the importance of aligning research, production, and extension services to safeguard farmgate earnings and national food security.
Providing the regional and national landscape, presentations from Engr. Regine Patiño-Medina of the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), Ms. Carol Albay, Deputy Operations Head of DA-RFO II HVCDP, and Mr. Arjie Baquiran of DA-RFO II Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) outlined supply realities and strategic shifts. Despite Region II achieving a high self-sufficiency rate in lowland vegetables, uncoordinated harvesting and logistics bottlenecks still trigger localized gluts at trading hubs.
To mitigate postharvest losses, DA-RFO II highlighted a strategic budget realignment prioritizing postharvest infrastructure, farmer training and capacity building, and irrigation over simple seed distribution. Presenters also advocated for digital price monitoring, synchronized inter-regional planting calendars, protected cultivation systems, and expanding the Sagip Saka Act to link producers directly with institutional buyers.
Technical Interventions, Policy Advocacy, and Gender Integration
The consultation highlighted research-backed innovations, upskilling initiatives, and policy resolutions aimed at extending crop shelf-life and empowering farm communities:
- Postharvest & Extension Interventions: Mia Dela Cruz of the DA-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) presented solutions managing respiration to delay senescence, while Mr. Jhimcelle Salvador of the DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI-RTC II) detailed capacity-building initiatives, including Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training and Farmers Field Schools.
- Roadmap Updating Workshops: Led by GIZ Consultants Dr. Edna Aguilar and Dr. Julieta Delos Reyes, participants reviewed value chain maps and SWOT assessments to ensure smallholder farmers remain central to national supply reliability and quality strategies.
- Gender & Policy Resolutions: Sheila Marie Orpilla, DA-RFO II Gender and Development Focal Person, presented the GAD policy resolutions related to high-value crops. These included recommending NVAT to prioritize locally produced tomatoes during peak seasons to prevent price collapses, institutionalizing Pinggang Pinoy guidelines prioritizing local produce, empowering women-led farmer organizations under the Gulayan sa Bayan program, and expanding RSBSA land registry access for smallholders.
Field Visit and Stakeholder Engagement Outcomes
The activity concluded with an exploratory visit to NVAT, one of Northern Luzon’s major agricultural trading hubs. Participants gained firsthand insights into the terminal’s trading operations, commodity flows, and marketing systems, while discussing infrastructure improvements and market interventions needed to further strengthen its role in connecting farmers to markets and improving supply chain efficiency.
In her recorded closing message, PCAF Executive Director Ms. Bernadette De Los Santos affirmed that the policy recommendations, field assessments, and strategic resolutions generated during the consultation will be formally submitted to the DA Central Office and the National Sectoral Committee on Fruits and Vegetables (NSC-FV) for policy formulation and program funding.
These inputs will also contribute to the ongoing updating of the Philippine Lowland Vegetable Industry Roadmap, ensuring that the strategies and interventions reflected in the roadmap are grounded in the experiences and priorities of stakeholders across the value chain.
By bringing together key actors from across the vegetable industry, the activity reaffirmed the value of participatory policymaking and multi-stakeholder collaboration in developing responsive programs and long-term strategies that will strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the Philippine lowland vegetable sector. | Glyza Quejado
