Government steps up efforts to improve agriculture sector, Palace says

Rice farmers in Batangas. Daniel Zuckerkandel / Shutterstock

MANILA — The government has stepped up its efforts to improve the plight of people in the agricultural sector, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said during Tuesday’s press briefing at the Palace.

“Ang isinasagawang istratehiya ng pamahalaan ay mayroong spatial or area focus. Tinutukoy kung nasaan ang pinakamaraming mga mahihirap,” said Coloma. “At batid naman natin na ang mga magsasaka ay kabilang doon sa hanay ng mahihirap, kung saang mga probinsya sila naroroon.”

He said the government has assessed 44 provinces based on high poverty magnitude, poverty incidence, and vulnerability to natural disasters, which contribute to poverty.

It is also helping the farmers increase their yield and is giving them opportunities to plant high-yielding crops to increase their income, he said.

“Kaya ito ay bahagi ng istratehiya para sa agricultural sector, na hindi ganoon kataas ang naging paglago noong mga nakaraang taon,” he added.

Commenting on criticisms that the sector has been lacking support from the government for a long time, Coloma said data from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) could be analyzed to see if the farmers’ incomes have increased.