Local government units (LGUs) of region 7 are encouraged to prepare and update their respective Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries Development Plan (MAFDP)

IN PHOTOS | Local government units (LGUs) of region 7 are encouraged to prepare and update their respective Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries Development Plan (MAFDP) incorporating current production and other related data of various agricultural commodities for consolidation into one provincial plan as well as a regional plan.

This was the gist of the message of the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED) Chief Elvin Milleza Elvin , during the High Value Crops Development Program (DA7 HVCDP) conducted its First Quarter Consultative Meeting with HVCDP and National Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP) Coordinators in Cebu Province, today, at a venue in Cebu City.

Milleza said the region is looking forward of having the comprehensive agri and fishery plans of the LGUs based on their existing and priority commodities to include the specific activities and interventions needed. The plan will be used in the succeeding annual budget call preparation.

“We will be requiring a three or four years of investment program, identifying what are those specific interventions. So, in your case, ma-incorparate na ang mga interventions for the development of our High Value Crops Programs and Projects. We want to have a comprehensive plan from the respective LGUs. Why? So that in the preparation of our plans and programs, we will not be confounded with regards to the budgeted target for the next calendar year (CY)”, he said

Aside from his message, Milleza also presented the 2024-2027 (4-year) plan of the Department of Agriculture through the leadership of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel, Jr., comprising the 9 strategies that aim to increase agricultural productivity, lower food cost, ensure food security and make farming and fisheries a more bankable investment alternative.

Other topics discussed were Updates and Technical Inputs on the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) and Non-Disclosure Agreements, implementation updates on FY 2024-2025 HVCDP, NUPAP, Organic Agriculture Program (OAP), Provincial, Municipal, and City LGU-led Programs and Initiatives, as well as Updates on FY 2024 HVCDP Interventions and Agricultural Extension Workers (AEW) Logistics Support.

The participants were the Municipal and City Agriculturists and HVCD Coordinators/Technicians, representative from the Office of the Provincial Agriculture-Cebu Province (OPA-Cebu), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), DA’s attached agencies such as Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), and from the DA7 staff.