The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has granted a USD1 million funding for technical cooperation projects to be implemented in the country. The focus of the program is the agri-fisheries sector.
In a report to Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., DA spokesman and assistant secretary Arnel de Mesa said that during his recent meeting with FAO Philippines’ representative Dr. Lionel Dabbadie, the DA initially proposed about USD 594K for FAO’s consideration. The identified TCPs focus on agrifood system transformation, additional responses to El Niño-affected areas, and agricultural investment for aquaculture and seaweed production.
“We will make it a point to fast track the preparation process to ensure that our agricultural sector can benefit from this investment, especially the assistance intended for areas heavily damaged by El Nino, which is a key priority of our Secretary,” said de Mesa.
This technical cooperation further strengthens the relationship between the DA and FAO hand-in-hand in addressing the challenges in the agri-fishery sector and serves as a take-off point in tapping additional resources from other multilateral organizations for the benefit of our Filipino farmers and fisherfolks.
