Department of Agriculture RFU 5 VISION

A competitive, sustainable and technology-based Agriculture and fisheries sector, driven by productive and progressive farmers and fisheries, supported by efficient value chains and wellintegrated in the domestic and international markets, contributing to inclusive growth and poverty reduction (from PDP)

MISSION
To empower farmers, fisher folk as agribusiness entrepreneurs attaining competitive income; producing affordable, accessible, safe and nutritious food for all, while promoting social justice and environmental sustainability.

THRUSTS AND PRIORITIES FOR CY 2013

The Department of Agriculture-RFU V for CY 2013 is determined to pursue the modernization of the agriculture and fisheries sector. This is in order to ensure food security; increase farm jobs for the rural communities: improve rural income and quality of life for farmers and fisher folk; and environmental sustainability.
A. CORE PUBLIC INVESTMENTS 1. Irrigation Services Encourage counterpart arrangement with LGU, farmer organizations, and other stakeholders in small scale irrigation development and other irrigation related activities. Completion and/or rehabilitation of existing small scale irrigation system particularly in rice cluster areas are ensure that major waterways are functional to achieve irrigation efficiency particularly during dry season. 2. Farm To Market Roads (FMR) in the Designated Key Production Areas 3. Postharvest facilities and equipment Encourage counterpart arrangement and ensure accessibility to post harvest facilities by farmers, farmer cooperatives and other private sector. Reduce post-harvest losses in cereal and other perishables products through improved post-harvest technologies and construction of storage facilities. Promote appropriate farm mechanization technologies that will improve farm production and productivity. Encourage private sector and farmer organization participation in the provision of farm mechanization equipment.

4. Trading Centers Empower farmers in managing strategic marketing activities through the Barangay Bagsakan and Bagsakan Centers. 5. Research and Development Continue integration of all R & D activities to achieve unity of purpose, better resource allocation, coherence of activities, greater efficiency and accountability. Strengthen ROS in order to improve delivery of basic services and the quality of R & D results Conduct of production related research and development in response to climate change.

6. Regulatory Participate in the development of quality standard for high value crops especially those identified in the region. Ensure the safety of food supplies in coordination with PAL, other government agencies and the private sector. Implementation of quarantine laws with LGU, PNP, MARINA and the private sector.

7. High quality generic materials Ensure adequate supply and improve access of farmers to quality seeds particularly hybrid rice and corn, soil ameliorant, planting material and animal stocks. Provide technical assistance to farmers in the production and distribution of quality seeds, planting materials and animal stocks. Encourage farmers to take risk and plant on areas vulnerable to adverse weather conditions as an effect of climate change by providing technical assistance, appropriate technology and subsidy on drought/submergencetolerant varieties.

8. Protection and disease prevention 9. Maintaining avian-flu and FMD-free status 10. Soil and water conservation and management B. INVESTMENTS IN AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES HUMAN RESOURCES Improve productivity and competitiveness Improve access to credit New program to broaden the successor generation of human resource Capacity building

C. CLIMATE CHANGE As a climate change adaptation measure, DA needs to: Build capacities in risk assessment and disaster management Invest in climate-resilient equipment and infra Provide access to loans and develop risk transfer mechanisms Strengthen and modernize data collection Intensify climate change IEC efforts to all stakeholders D. FOOD SECURITY Frontload investment in irrigation, postharvest facilities and mechanization Focus on longer-term investments Engage farmers associations/irrigators associations, LGUs and the private sector proactively Encourage the production and consumption of other food staples Implement NFA reforms

RICE PROGRAM
The Agri-Pinoy Rice Program is one of the banner components of the Department of Agriculture mainly concerned in rice farming and uplifting the lives of Filipino farmers. Guided by the principles of the Agrikulturang Pilipino (Agri-Pinoy) framework, the National Rice Program integrates government initiatives and interventions for the agriculture sector, namely: food security and self-sufficiency, sustainable resource management, support services from farm to table, and broad-based local partnerships. It focuses on longer-term investments and has the following objectives: engage farmers association /irrigators associations, LGUs and the private sector proactively; encourage the production and consumption of other food staples and provide specific interventions (technologies and services) to rice farmers to increase rice productivity such as: front loan investments in irrigation, postharvest facilities and mechanization.

CORN PROGRAM
The Agri-Pinoy Corn Program focuses on the productivity of Farm Clusters in major corn producing provinces/ areas in Bicol Region to achieve self-sufficiency in feed crops (yellow corn and cassava); to sustain the growing demand of the livestock and poultry sub-sectors and help stabilize prices in our local market. Likewise, the Corn program also promotes the production and consumption of white corn as staple and to ensure steady supply of white corn grains and expand the market for high quality white corn grits to help ease the pressure on rice demand. With the continuous promotion of productivity-enhancing and cost-reducing measures/technologies to aid corn farmers gain better income thru establishment of adaptation technologies using improved corn varieties.