The Commodity Investment Plans (CIPs) of MIMAROPA serve as strong references for the formulation of the region’s Agriculture & Fisheries Modernization Plan (AFMP) for 2018-2023.

A bottom-up approach was used during the provincial consultation for the AFMP formulation wherein the CIPs of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan were used to guide the participants in the course of the workshop. The CIP, one of the scientific tools developed by the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), is a comprehensive profile that presents priority commodities and opportunities for rural development in a certain province or municipality.

The participants in the said activity include the Provincial and Municipal/City Planning and Development Officers, Municipal Agriculturists/Agricultural Officers, Provincial Veterinarians, Agriculture and Fishery Councils, and representatives from different farmer and fisherfolk associations and cooperatives.

As discussed by Dr. Nex Basi of the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division (PMED) of Department of Agriculture (DA)-MIMAROPA, the AFMP, a compliance to the Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997, focuses on food security, poverty alleviation, social equity, income enhancement, and profitability. It also aims for global competitiveness, sustainability, and protection from unfair competition. “This will serve as DA’s blueprint for the planning and budgeting of its respective interventions for the next six years,” Dr. Basi added.

Dr. Celso Olido of PMED also pointed out that the formulation of AFMP is anchored to the administration’s Philippine Development Plan of 2017-2022, particularly the chapter on Expanding Economic Opportunities in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (AFF) which is centered on “Pagbabago” or reducing inequality in economic opportunities.

Prior to the workshops, Marilyn Bienes, PMED Chief, highlighted the gains from the assessment of the MIMAROPA Development Investment Plan (DIP) from 2011 to 2016. Together with the CIP, the DIP assessment will serve as basis in the formulation of the successor AFMP. The DA’s regional banner program coordinators/report officers for rice, corn, HVCDP, livestock, and organic agriculture also presented their priority programs and projects for the next six years as well as for the fisheries and the newly-launched HALAL program.

The participants then worked hand-in-hand with the representatives from line agencies and state universities and colleges to identify and harmonize possible interventions. The line agencies include National and Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, Department of Science and Technology, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Coconut Authority.

Moreover, Regional Executive Director Antonio Gerundio encouraged the participants to strengthen the marketing aspect of agriculture. “I encourage you to improve our thinking process to help uplift the lives of the farmers. In this way, we can encourage them to work hard and enhance their productivity. We should also be globally competitive,” he stated.

In the workshop, the participants utilized Data Capture Matrices for the needed interventions on production support, agribusiness and marketing, extension support, education, and training services, research and development, rural infrastructure, agriculture and fishery policy services, regulatory support and services, and credit and insurance per municipality. Out of these data, the PMED MIMAROPA will craft the region’s AFMP which will be integrated in the national AFMP.

Commodities that are given priority in the region are arrowroot, coconut-geonet, cassava, onion, tuna, calamansi, virgin coconut oil (VCO), saba-banana, cashew, mango, seaweeds, coconut-Refined, Bleached and Deodorized Oil (RBDO). ### (Denice Joelle Benosa, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Dr. Nex Basi, Planning Officer II of the PMED-DA-MIMAROPA, discusses the rationale and objectives of the AFMP to the participants in Binondo, Manila.

Participants from Romblon brainstorm about their agri-fishery programs and projects needed for the next six years during the workshop proper.

Participants from Marinduque discuss possible interventions for their province.