“The potential is obvious, but the challenge lies in value addition [of commodities]. That’s our assignment. With the guidance of the mayor and Sangguniang Bayan, we can take a second look on how we can increase value addition.”
This was the challenge posed by the Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Special Concerns Engr. Zamzamin Ampatuan, to local government officials during his visit to the municipality of Alfonso Lista in Ifugao on Wednesday, October 11.
Ampatuan recognized that consolidation is the key to addressing food insecurity in the Philippines. According to him, consolidation is not solely about targeted interventions. It revolves around establishing an enterprise system where corporations manage the entire process, from production to packaging, with farmers holding at least a 30 percent stake in the corporation.
He also emphasized that the active engagement of the local government unit, the entrepreneurial mindset of farmers, a focus on key commodities like rice, corn, and soybeans, and a strong public-private partnership are all pivotal to the success of consolidation.
“If we have a private sector partner, it provides a system of checks and balances, ensuring more efficient services from government officials,” noted USec Ampatuan.
The undersecretary also admitted that there is still a long way off in terms of farm mechanization and establishing an efficient agricultural production system. Having said that, he stressed that the government must be willing to take the risk of investing in farmers, as it is a sure win when officials invest in farmers rather than engage in corrupt practices.
“If there is one thing that this government should be doing, in terms of agricultural governance, is to fix the agricultural production system. And that is not yet in the mainstream of what we do, [not] even in the Department of Agriculture,” he said.
“Corruption poses a greater risk. The government should invest in an economic platform that addresses the convoluted agricultural production system,” Ampatuan added.