TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte — Low productivity, climate risk, and costly inputs continue to weigh on the country’s corn and feed crop farmers — concerns that took center stage as national and regional stakeholders met here July 28-30 for a three-day policy dialogue.

The gathering, convened by PCAF’s Policy Development and Coordination Division, brought together the National Sectoral Committee on Corn and Feed Crops (NSC-CFC) and the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) VIII. Representatives from national government agencies, the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office VIII, the private sector, farmer organizations, and industry stakeholders joined the discussions.

In the welcome remarks delivered on behalf of DA Regional Field Office VIII OIC Regional Executive Director Rodel Macapanas, he stated that the NSC-CFC plays a central role in shaping national policy for the sector by channeling farmers’ concerns into DA programs. “For Eastern Visayas, where corn and cassava are emerging feed crops, NSC-CFC resolutions can be leveraged to push for a regional investment in postharvest facilities and farmer clustering,” Macapanas added, citing the committee’s 2026 agenda focused on resilience, diversification, and expanded support services.

PCAF OIC Deputy Executive Director Cyril Soliaban called for stronger collaboration to tackle the sector’s long-standing problems — low productivity, climate-related risks, rising production costs, limited mechanization, and difficulty accessing profitable markets. He said the solutions needed are ones that are practical, evidence-based, and grounded in local conditions.

The dialogue, held under PCAF’s mandate to promote participatory governance, gave stakeholders a venue to trade insights, weigh in on existing government interventions, and draft policy and program recommendations for the sector. Sessions tackled corn production and postharvest management, research and innovation, market development, value chain improvement, and the role of cooperatives in widening farmers’ access to opportunities. Participants also reviewed government support mechanisms meant to sustain the industry’s growth over the long term.

Among the key recommendations was the push for farmer clustering and cooperatives, which would give farmers better access to farm machinery and government support. Participants also called for wider use of climate-resilient, location-specific production technologies and for expanding local seed production through improved native corn varieties. Sustainable land management came up as well, with crop rotation and balanced soil fertility management flagged as priorities, alongside a push to institutionalize soil testing so fertilizer application can be based on actual site conditions.

The group also pointed to the need for stronger postharvest facilities, new market linkages, and value-adding initiatives that could boost farmers’ incomes and make locally produced corn and cassava more competitive. Other recommendations included beefing up agricultural extension services, holding regular stakeholder consultations, pursuing research and development on value-added corn products, and making sure farm mechanization programs actually match what farmers need and the conditions on the ground.

The dialogue also touched on improving the accuracy of agricultural production data, protecting agricultural lands through better coordination among agencies, cracking down harder on counterfeit and unregistered agricultural inputs, strengthening crop insurance and financing support, and expanding learning exchanges so farmers can pick up successful technologies and best practices from other regions. Participants agreed that all these recommendations would be consolidated into policy resolutions for endorsement to the concerned agencies, with implementation tracked through the NSC-CFC and RAFC VIII.

In his closing remarks, NSC-CFC Chairperson Romualdo Elvira said the three-day meeting drew the NSC closer to the region’s council network — the RAFCs, PAFCs, and MAFCs — and voiced hope that similar dialogues could be replicated in other regions.

The activity closed with a field visit to Department of Agriculture-supported sites in Barangay Crossing, San Isidro, Leyte, and Barangay Busali, Biliran, where participants observed local production initiatives and discussed practices that could be adapted in other areas.