The Department of Agriculture (DA) is tracking the implementation of three major projects in Mindanao to boost agricultural and fisheries productivity in the region.
Through the Second Additional Financing for the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP-AF2), the DA seeks to enhance food logistics and access, ensuring food security for Filipinos.
The project builds upon the successes of the first PRDP and addresses the challenges posed by the post-COVID era.
The DA-PRDP Scale-Up project focuses on clustering and consolidation strategies to address persistent challenges in the agri-fishery sector.
It also emphasizes private sector participation and climate resilience in project interventions.
Meanwhile, the Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (MIADP) aims to sustainably increase agricultural productivity, resilience and market access for organized farmer and fisherfolk groups in selected ancestral domains.
The MIADP will address low incomes caused by weak marketing linkages and inadequate infrastructure in these areas by strengthening the capacities of local government units (LGUs).
These projects are expected to significantly contribute to Mindanao’s agricultural production, which accounts for 35.1 percent of the country’s total output.
“We thank the Department of Finance for providing funds to finance the government counterpart for these ongoing foreign-assisted projects. This is a huge help for us since we are striving to complete them as soon as possible and according to schedule, so that Filipinos can benefit from them right away,” said DA assistant secretary Arnel de Mesa.
