PCAF thanks partners in agri-fishery development on 2nd anniversary

With the theme “Panibagong Simula, Sanib Pwersa tungo sa Maunlad na Pagsasaka at Pangingisda,” the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) marked its second anniversary this June. PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan led the opening rites of the agency’s week-long celebration with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the PCAF exhibit at the Department of Agriculture (DA) lobby on June 29 (left photo). DA Undersecretary for Livestock Jose Reaño, DA Personnel Division Chief Marites Bernardo and PCAF National Sectoral Committee (NSC) on Poultry, Livestock and Feed Crops Chairperson Rufina Salas were also present at the ceremony. In his message during the flag-raising ceremony at the DA grounds, Exec. Dir. Cayanan thanked the agency’s partners from the DA, NSCs, Agricultural and Fishery Councils, and other government agencies for their support on PCAF’s efforts to champion the needs of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala also graced the exhibit and joined Exec. Dir. Cayanan, Deputy Exec. Dir. Florabelle Uy-Yap and PCAF employees in a short tour and photo session (right photo). Also in line with the celebration, Exec. Dir. Cayanan talked about the agency’s mandates, functions, activities and advocacies on DA’s “Maunlad na Magsasaka” program on DZAS 702 on June 30. By virtue of Executive Order 366, PCAF was created on June 26, 2013 upon the consolidation of the National Agricultural and Fishery Council and Livestock Development Council. This year marks the agency’s maiden year of operations under its three core processes, namely, Agriculture and Fisheries Monitoring and Evaluation, Policy Development, and Partnership Development.

Stakeholders voice support for Sugarcane Industry Development Act

PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan, alongside SRA Board Member Atty. Jesus Barrera, welcomes the participants of the National Consultation on the draft IRR of the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015.

Stakeholders from private sector institutions and partners from concerned civil society organizations voiced their support for the newly enacted Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015, or Republic Act No. 10659, and offered recommendations for the refinement of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) during a national consultation held on June 8.

Organized by the Sugarcane Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), the national consultation comes on the heels of the area-wide public consultations spearheaded by the SRA for industry stakeholders and government officials at the local levels.

“With this new law, the sugarcane industry is provided with the enabling environment to truly be strategically diversified. Through this Act, we can look forward to a more competitive sugarcane industry, well-utilized sugarcane resources, and improved income for farmers and farm workers,” PCAF Executive Director Ariel Cayanan said in his message.

SRA officials, led by Board Member (Miller) Atty. Jesus Barrera, facilitated the review of the draft IRR at the consultation and welcomed the recommendations of the participants. 

Some of the recommendations include increasing block farm areas to 50 hectares to increase efficiency, providing farmers life insurance or other social protection schemes, collaborating with higher education institutions on farm management initiatives, and conducting training programs for block farm managers.

The participants also stressed that stakeholder representation should be ensured in the Sugarcane Industry Development Council which will serve as consultative body on the identification and prioritization of specific programs and projects.

Stakeholders and partners review the salient features of the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015.

They also said that, aside from ensuring productivity and profitability, the Act should also be able to address poverty and welfare of farmers especially those with lands pawned and leased, help eradicate child labor, and include underprivileged students from families that are dependent on sugarcane farming.

The participants also suggested the popularization of the law as they believe that, through the Sugarcane Act, the Philippine sugarcane industry can not only increase productivity and efficiency but also make the industry socially and environmentally responsible. They said that this could be a big advantage for the country in today’s highly competitive regional market.

The Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015 is aimed at promoting the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry, maximizing the utilization of sugarcane resources, and improving the incomes of farmers and farm workers through improved productivity, product diversification, job generation, and increased efficiency of sugar mills.

Institutionalized in the Act are key programs such as Productivity Improvement Programs which comprise block farms, farm support and farm mechanization.

Through the Block Farm Program, the Sugarcane Act will provide assistance to small farmers with farm sizes of less than five hectares who make up about 80 percent of all sugarcane farmers in the country. 

Under this program, small farms, including farms of agrarian reform beneficiaries, will be consolidated as one larger farm with a minimum area of 30 hectares within a two-kilometer radius. This is to take advantage of the economies of scale in the production of sugarcane. 

The SRA, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Reform, and other concerned government agencies will provide common service facilities, such as farm machineries, and implement grants or start-up funding for the needed production inputs, technology adoption, livelihood and skills training and other development activities for the block farm and its members.

For other farms that are not eligible for the Block Farm Program, the law provides for the Farm Support Program which includes, among others, the provision of socialized credit, farm management, technical assistance, and professional services.

Other key programs that will be implemented under the law are Infrastructure Support Programs, namely transport infrastructure, farm-to-mill roads, and irrigation; Research, Development and Extension which include breeding of high-yielding varieties, latest technologies and Good Agricultural Practices; and Human Resource Development Programs such as capacity-building of farmers and industry technical experts.

Starting 2016, the sugarcane industry will be annually provided with an initial aggregate amount of P2 billion which will be used on providing grants to block farms under the Block Farm Program (15%), socialized credit under the Farm Support and Farm Mechanization Programs (15%); research and development, capability-building and technology transfer activities (15%); scholarship grants (5%); and infrastructure support programs (50%).

Source: http://www.pcaf.da.gov.ph/news/2015/sugarcane.html

PCAF conducts orientation for regional AFC personnel

The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) conducted an orientation for the newly hired Job Order personnel assigned in the 16 Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) offices. The undertaking aimed to give them a common understanding on their duties and responsibilities they are to perform. Topics discussed also included Targets, Reporting Forms and Deadline of Reports; Preparing for a Meeting; How to Monitor Local Issues Resolved/For Action; How to Prepare Resolutions; Financial Matters/Requirements for Claims; and AFC Monitoring Guidelines and Consolidation of Reports. PCAF Partnership Development Division Chief Elgie Namia spoke to the 29 personnel in attendance and stressed the importance of the role they play in ensuring the success of the goals of the AFCs towards agricultural development.

Source: http://www.pcaf.da.gov.ph/news/2015/afc.html

Reorganized Baras MAFC officers take oath

Led by PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan, together with Mayor Kathrine Robles, Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) 4A Chairperson James Argosino, PAFC Chairperson Wilfredo San Juan and the Sangguniang Bayan members, the newly elected officers of the Baras Municipal AFC (MAFC), headed by Chairperson Samuel Golla, took their oath last May 15 during the celebration of the Farmers’ Day and Convention in San Salvador, Baras, Rizal. In line with this, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between PCAF and the local government unit (LGU) of Baras defining the duties and commitments of concerned stakeholders was transmitted to the said LGU. The MOA seeks to institutionalize the Baras MAFC as a venue for consultation and continuing discussion among local stakeholders from agriculture and fisheries sector. In his message, Dir. Cayanan stressed that the PCAF, through the AFC, will always help the farmers in Baras in addressing the challenges they face in farming. In addition, he encouraged them to continuously support organic farming given its health benefits and market opportunities. Meanwhile, Mayor Robles emphasized the importance of proper consultation and planning prior to project implementation. She also assured the farmers that the LGU will provide them the necessary support for their continual development.

Source: http://www.pcaf.da.gov.ph/news/2015/baras.html

PCAF forms Senior Citizens' Committee

To ensure the entitlement of the agency’s elderly employees to the benefits and privileges granted by Republic Act No. 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010), a Senior Citizens’ Committee has been created within the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF). Through Special Order No. 224, Series of 2014, PCAF Executive Director Ariel Cayanan authorized the creation of the said committee for employees who are 60 years old and above. Policy Development and Coordination Division Chief Elmer Estiandan has been designated as the focal person to ensure the preparation of an annual work and financial plan and accomplishment report on the committee’s initiatives. The committee’s lineup of activities for 2015 includes livelihood and health programs, educational tours and trade fairs, awards and incentive programs, sports and recreational events, among others.

PCAF partners with DAP for AFMA Rapid Assessment

PCAF officers, members of the DAP project team and stakeholders from Region 7 pose for a group photo in the conclusion of the stakeholders’ consultation workshop for the AFMA Rapid Assessment project in Cebu.

To pave the way for a more effective implementation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 (AFMA), or Republic Act (RA) No. 8435, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) has partnered with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) for the conduct a rapid assessment of the implementation of the said law.

AFMA was signed into law in December 1997 to modernize Philippine agriculture and fisheries to make it more competitive in the global market. It focuses on five major concerns, namely, poverty alleviation and social equity, food security, global competitiveness, sustainable development, and income profitability especially for farmers and fisherfolk.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law mandate the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council (NAF Council) to assist the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the broad-based monitoring and coordination of the agricultural and fisheries modernization process.

Headed by the Agriculture Secretary as Chairperson-Coordinator, the NAF Council is also tasked to serve as the integrative and consultative structure for inter-agency and inter-sectoral collaboration in the activities arising from RA 8435.

Through its secretariat, the then National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC), the NAF Council has been monitoring the pre-implementation activities specified in the IRR in the absence of a sectoral plan that would serve as basis for progress and results monitoring of the law. Due to the government rationalization program, the secretariat function of NAFC has been transferred to PCAF.

In aid of the country’s agriculture and fisheries development, PCAF now aims to determine the status of the implementation of the AFMA through the rapid assessment and yield recommendations for its improvement.

This is also in line with the mandated independent review of the law every five years.

In its inception report for the project, DAP noted that there have been few assessments done to determine the gains and impact of the law since its enactment 18 years ago.

“By 2015, most of the targets in the IRR of AFMA will lapse. It is thus timely and important that an assessment of AFMA in the last five years be conducted to contribute to the possible revision and/or extension that may be done regarding the law,” the DAP project team said in the inception report.

Through the project, PCAF would be able to determine the status of AFMA implementation in terms of the level of contribution of the DA, other involved government departments and agencies, the private sector, local government units and other AFMA support programs implemented by other institutions.

The assessment would be made in terms of budget support and investments at the national and local governments from 2009 to 2013 and of investments from private, international programs, and other financing institutions from 2009 to 2013.

The project will focus on the plans and accomplishments of the five components of the AFMA, including its 13 chapters, which are production and marketing support services; human resource development; research, development and extension; rural non-farm employment; and, trade and fiscal incentives.

The DAP project team will also identify existing implementation strengths, opportunities, problems, and challenges and propose adjustments for a more effective implementation and monitoring of the AFMA.

“The results of the assessment may serve as baseline information that can be used by PCAF in their continuous function of monitoring and evaluating programs and projects related to AFMA implementation and subsequently, determining the status of the Philippine agriculture sector,” the DAP project team furthered in the report.

According to the report, the “AFMA Rapid Assessment Report” could provide inputs in the crafting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Sectoral Plan as the findings and information gathered in the study could satisfy the need to establish baseline data for each relevant chapter or component of the AFMA.

In line with the project, a series of area-wide stakeholders’ consultation workshops was held for selected officers and personnel from regional DA offices, local government units and other concerned agencies; provincial, municipal agricultural officers; private sector representatives; members of civil society organizations; and, farmers and fisherfolk in Regions 3, 7 and 11 in April and May.

Through the consultation, the DAP project team was able to validate the secondary data they have gathered, determine the perception of the selected stakeholders on the implementation of AFMA-related programs and projects, and generate possible recommendations on identified issues and concerns related to development, implementation and monitoring of AFMA-related programs and projects.

Prior to this, focus group discussions were conducted with concerned national government agencies to gather data regarding the implementation of AFMA. The project team is expected to complete the first draft of the report in July.

Source: http://www.pcaf.da.gov.ph/news/2015/afma.html

Dir. Cayanan joins gov’t panel at ‘Fish Talk’, stresses support for establishment of fisherfolk settlement

DA-BFAR Dir. Asis Perez leads the forum for fisherfolk, dubbed as “Fish Talk”, on May 29.

(Photo by DA-BFAR Central Office)

Around 500 fisherfolk from different organizations and provinces in Luzon convened at a forum organized by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), as part of the culmination of the Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month, May 29 at the Philippine Coconut Authority Covered Court in Diliman, Quezon City.

Dubbed as “Fish Talk”, the event served as an opportunity to address issues affecting the fisheries sector and further strengthen the partnership between the fishery stakeholders and the government.

The discussion focused on the welfare of Filipino fisherfolk, particularly on issues regarding fisherfolk settlement areas, Republic Act (RA) 8550 as amended by RA 10654 on municipal water delineation, and the existence of Danish Seine fishing despite the issuance of Fisheries Administrative Order No. 246 in 2013 banning the operation of Danish Seine and Modified Danish Seine in Philippine waters.

The NAPC has been consistently advocating for the establishment of fisherfolk settlement through the issuance of guidelines as mandated by Section 108 of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, as amended by RA10654.

In a resolution adopted on May 28, the NAPC Artisanal Fisherfolk Sectoral Council (AFSC) urged the DA-BFAR, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and NAPC for the immediate issuance of the said implementing guidelines.

“The fisherfolk are the most vulnerable in times of disasters and calamities as observed when millions of fisherfolk were greatly affected by super typhoon Yolanda in November 2013,” members of the NAPC AFSC said in the resolution.

Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) Executive Director Ariel Cayanan stressed that the agency, through the National Sectoral Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (PCAF-CFA), strongly supports the implementation of the provision of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 on the establishment of settlement areas for fisherfolk.

In his message, Dir. Cayanan shared PCAF-CFA’s Resolution No. 4, Series of 2015 recommending the conduct of a fisherfolk settlement policy forum. He also said that this issue can be a part of the agenda of the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

Also on May 28, PCAF-CFA passed a resolution supporting this effort. Dialogues have also been held with the DA and NAPC on the matter.

Other officials present at the forum were NAPC Sec. Jose Eliseo Rocamora, BFAR National Director Asis Perez, DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero, and NAPC sector representative Ruperto Aleroza among others.

To cap off the activity, a boodle fight was held for the fisherfolk and government officials present. (With report from DA-BFAR Central Office)