THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday said it is targeting to achieve a progressive annual growth rate for the farm and fisheries sectors until it reaches 4 percent come 2022.
In a statement, the DA said it aims a 2 percent growth this year for the sector, 3 percent next year, and 4 percent in 2022.
“It will be a tall order, mainly due to natural and man-made calamities that will impact on the production of rice, corn, vegetables, major crops, swine, poultry and fishery products, but we are confident we could attain such modest growth rates in the next three years,” Agriculture secretary William Dar said.
Dar ordered heads of DA’s attached agencies to give their utmost to attain the “2-3-4” annual growth rates this year up to 2022.
The Cabinet official added that the DA’s strategies are buttressed on science and statistical analysis, enabling it to map out the progress of the implementation of programs and find other sources of growth.
“As I always emphasize, there is a science behind agriculture. Statistics will not lie. Hindi pwede ang bolahan sa akin because I believe in the power of science and the authority of empirical evidence,” Dar said.
The Agriculture chief lamented the continual downward trend of agriculture sector’s share to the nation’s economy, from 2000 to 2019, where its average contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) slid to 11.6 percent – a dismal contrast to the 24 percent contribution to GDP in the 80s.
From 2000 to 2018, the agriculture sector only grew at 1.7 percent annually.
Dar said he aims to raise the productivity of the palay and fishery sub-sectors that comprise 40 percent of the total agriculture output.
Dar also urged the DA regional directors to vigorously implement the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) program as it will deliver the much-needed increase in palay production in the next six years.
He noted that the livestock and poultry sub-sectors will continue to be the pillars of agricultural growth.
Dar said poultry and corn sub-sectors, comprising 16 percent of agriculture’s gross value added (GVA), will be given greater attention in view of the adverse impact of the African swine fever (ASF) on the livestock sector.
“Once our livestock sub-sector recovers from the scourge of ASF, the three sub-sectors (corn, poultry and livestock) could contribute more to the agriculture GVA,” Dar added.
He urged the DA-RFO directors to strictly enforce ASF biosecurity measures, set up more stringent quarantine checkpoints in partnership with the LGUs and hog industry stakeholders, provide more disinfection facilities and intensify anti-smuggling and meat inspection efforts – to effectively manage, contain and control the spread of the disease. (GMA News)
