ONE DA – Yes Sir! Let DA. Let’s Do It!

“Towards a modern & industrialized Philippine agriculture” – is not PH Secretary of Agriculture William Dar dreaming?!

“ONE DA.” As head of the Department of Agriculture, DA, Mr Dar came out 04 January with such a HUGE department-wide pronouncement. “DA lines up key strategies to steer agri-fishery growth and transformation in 2021” (image above from Facebook post). Downloadable via the DA website, the18-page PowerPoint presentation has these:

Vision:
A food secure & resilient Philippines with empowered & prosperous farmers & fisherfolk.

Mission:
To empower farmers and fisherfolk through collective action and attract private sector investments with inclusive agribusiness towards agricultural efficiencies, productivity, sustainability and resilience.

Twin Goals:
Masaganang ANI at mataas na KITA.
(“Bountiful HARVESTS & Bounteous EARNINGS” – FAH translation.)

PREAMBLE
The key strategies will accelerate transformation towards a modern & industrialized Philippine agriculture thru an inclusive approach.

There are 12 key strategies, these ones:

1. Farm Clustering/Bayanihan

2. Province-Led Agriculture And Fisheries Extension System (PAFES)

3. Agri-Industrial Business Corridors (ABCs)

4. Infrastructure Investments

5. Post-Harvest, Processing Logistics & Marketing Support

6. Digital Agriculture

7. Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation Measures

8. Mobilization & Empowerment Of Partners To Attain Scale

9. Global Trade, Export Development & Promotion

10. Food Safety & Regulations

11. Ease Of Doing Business & Transport Procurement

12. Strategic Communication Support

Is not Mr Dar putting too much into his mouth at the same time that he cannot chew properly and swallow smoothly?

I see ONE DA as a pandemic, fast-and-furious holistic revision of his earlier 2019 “New Thinking for Agriculture” with its supportive “8 paradigms.” He did not anticipate the coronavirus lockdown – but, he knew the many things the DA, other departments, local government units, legislature, and the food producers hadto do collectively – and fast, so that farmers do not run out of consumers and there is no shortage of food despite the calamities.

You don’t have to take my word for it. Here comes former Secretary of Economic Planning Cielito F Habito and his Inquirer column “Investing In Our Farms[1]” of 05 January 2020, saying:

… Agriculture could well be the game changer for the Philippines’ post-pandemic economic future. After all, it was the only major economic sector that defied the economic downturn, posting positive growth while the overall economy went on a steep dive.

Mr Economist is clearly saying, “Agriculture under William Dar was the only major economic sector that went up while the other sectors went down.” How did Mr Dar achieve this?

Among other things, Mr Dar summoned his experience as Secretary of Agriculture under President Joseph Estrada, and as a 3-term (15-year) Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT, based in India – leading ICRISAT from dead last to #1 among the international agricultural agencies of the CGIAR Group, with IRRI among the 15.

Also, Mr Dar is a poor boy from the Ilocos. Thus, it is not surprising that he knows how to take pity on poor farmers, fishers and their families – his is management of science with a human face!@517


[1]https://opinion.inquirer.net/136725/investing-in-our-farms?fbclid=IwAR1rW3wlBeHTIGAuLSlMM-MMFamhxMsDhjZ7nJ4G0Yejs1FNRmr2ecPqC1E

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