ILOILO City – To make agricultural and fisheries policymaking more responsive to ground realities, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas has intensified grassroots engagement by holding a series of provincial consultations with farmers and fisherfolk across the region.
From May 20 to 23, DA Region 6, through the Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs), conducted face-to-face consultations in four key areas: Jordan in Guimaras, Roxas City in Capiz, Kalibo in Aklan, and San Jose in Antique.
The initiative was led by Regional AFC Chairperson and Farmer Regional Executive Director (FRED) Engr. Buen S. Mondejar, who emphasized the importance of providing a systematic venue for farmers and fisherfolk to articulate their concerns and directly influence national policy decisions.
“We cannot craft effective agricultural policies without hearing firsthand from our food producers,” said Mondejar. “Their voices should help shape the programs meant to serve them.”
Key issues raised during the consultations included lack of access to production inputs, credit, crop insurance, mechanization, market linkages, and training.
Stakeholders also stressed the need for climate-resilient technologies and greater support for infrastructure such as irrigation systems, post-harvest facilities, and farm-to-market roads.
The DA-6, along with representatives from its attached agencies, local government units, and other national offices, took note of the concerns. A training needs assessment was also conducted to determine the specific capacity-building interventions required in each province.
Findings from the consultations will be compiled into a regional report, which will serve as a guide for future policy directions and planning at the regional and national levels. The DA said it will endorse the documented requests to the appropriate offices for action./PN
