DA-7 gathers stakeholders for the Investment Planning Preparation for 2022-2025

Created on Friday, 04 December 2020

Agriculture and fisheries stakeholders in Negros Oriental both at the local and regional levels were gathered recently for the joint planning exercise on the preparation of FY 2022-2025 Investment Program in Agriculture and Fisheries Sectors.

The activity, in collaboration with the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) was held at the Plenary Hall of Negros Oriental Convention Center in Dumaguete City.

It was aimed to address and identify the agricultural needs of the farmers and fishers in their local community. This will also ensure that the projects and interventions of the various stakeholders are aligned with the Department of Agriculture's priority programs.

Engr. Antonio Du, Chief of the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED) of Department of Agriculture-7 (DA7) said that the planning exercise will guide the Provincial and Municipal Local Government Units (P/MLGUs) through their municipal/city agriculture officers (M/CAO) and planning officers to prepare an investment program in agriculture and fisheries for FY 2022 to 2025 based on the priority commodities and needs of the farmers and fishers in their locality.

"The crafted plan of 2022-2025 will capture the needs of the agri-fishery stakeholders for incorporation in the Regional Investment Plan. The identification of the gaps and needs of farmers and fishers will serve as basis in the preparation of the plan which will address and improve the agriculture sector," Du said.

Du in his presentation added that the agriculture department will also invest in machineries, encourage more urban and backyard gardening, livestock enhancement, and pursue the honing of more agri entrepreneurs to be globally competitive, among others. He went on saying that the multiple programs laid out in the upcoming years will be beneficial to our local farmers.

Nestor Villaflores, Provincial Agriculturist (PA) of the province, in his message, supplemented the planning exercise, stressing the need to make food available, accessible and affordable. He shared that the provincial government headed by Governor Roel R. Degamo had a strong order to ensure sufficient food supply and production not only during this pandemic but also in the future.

Andrea Canoy, Municipal Agriculturist (MA) of Canlaon City shared that the planning exercise shed some light on their proposed agri-fishery plan, while the MA of Tayasan City Marshal Taub also said that the activity serves as the venue for their voices to be heard and they look forward for more programs and projects to be implemented in their locality.

LGUs are to submit their crafted investment plan at the regional level for consolidation and review.