The Department of Agriculture is set to release a refined set of rules governing farmland conversion within the coming weeks, a measure aimed at balancing national development with food security. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed the policy is now in final draft form, following a five‑month moratorium on processing conversion applications that was lifted earlier this month.
The new framework will streamline land‑use reclassification procedures while setting clear safeguards to protect productive areas. Local government units will be required to have approved land‑use plans before any conversion request is endorsed, and at least three million hectares of rice land will be preserved as a core agricultural reserve. Flat lands with slopes of less than eight percent—especially irrigated areas—will be prioritized for farming; projects such as solar farms without complementary agricultural activities will generally be barred from these high‑yield zones.
This policy update addresses long‑standing concerns that unregulated land conversion has reduced the country’s capacity to grow staples like rice and corn, threatening food self‑sufficiency and increasing reliance on imports. Officials note that protecting farmland serves as a strategic buffer against global supply disruptions and sudden price increases, ensuring development proceeds without compromising the nation’s food security.
