The Department of Agriculture on Wednesday said it will intensify its longstanding collaboration with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to help the administration achieve its target of increasing local production and providing affordable food prices.

In a statement, the DA said the two parties discussed pressing issues that should be addressed to make the food security target feasible.

“Among the issues discussed were major concerns on transboundary animal diseases affecting the country’s livestock and poultry industries, intensification of the production and supply of rice and corn, production and mobilization of food through the DA–Bureau of Plant Industry and the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Program, and programs to stabilize the prices of agricultural commodities,” it said.

The UN FAO made the discussion with the department as it welcomed its new representative to the Philippines, Lionel Henri Valentin Dabbadie.

“Senior Undersecretary (Domingo Panganiban) thanked FAO for its ongoing assistance to developing countries in facilitating the development and promoting sustainability to make food security possible,” the DA said.

Alongside DA’s discussion of the country’s current status in the agriculture sector, the two officials also recognized the need for “constant coordination,” especially for more programs in sync with the food security goal.

The DA said it has also included areas of cooperation to hone the sector into resilience and inclusivity.

“Undersecretary Panganiban welcomed the expertise and support of Mr. Dabbadie in these fields and urged the new FAO Philippines head to work closely with the DA on policy and technical support,” it added.

Panganiban referred to the Philippine Country Programming Framework (CPF), spanning up to 2024, which covers “rice, corn, livestock, poultry, fisheries, aquaculture, and agro-industrialization.”

For its part, the UN FAO invited the DA to maximize opportunities that may further deepen the skill set of Philippine agriculture.

These include the 2023 Stocktaking Moment, the UN General Assembly’s International Day of Millet, The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum and the 2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, among others. (PNA)