Agriculture before the 2016 elections

At the start of 2015, we should focus on agricultural development instead of being unduly distracted by the 2016 elections. This especially applies to the possible misuse of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) proposed 2015 budget of P88 billion, which could be diverted “in aid of elections.”

We must take decisive agriculture-related action in 2015. (See table)

Year        Agriculture                   Industry

DA Budget Growth     DTI Budget Growth

2012        P 61 B 2.7%                  P 2.6 B 6.5%

2013        P 75 B 1.1%                   P 3.5 B 9.5%

2014        P 80 B 0.6%                P 4.4 B 6.9%

Average     P 72 B 1.5%               P 3.5 B 7.6%

Why did the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) average budget from 2012 to 2014 of P3.5 billion help produce 7.6 percent in industry growth, while the huge DA average budget of P72 billion achieved only 1.5 percent? Ironically, as the DA budget increased from P61 billion in 2012 to P80 billion in 2013, agriculture growth consistently declined from 2.7 percent to 0.6 percent.

Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala strongly advocates agriculture development. But some key DA officials have not been supporting his efforts.

AF2015 vision

A vision for agriculture and fisheries in 2025 was jointly formulated by 200 leaders from the private and public sector after the Feb. 10 to 11, 2011 AF2025 Conference.

It was spearheaded by Agriculture secretary Alcala and supported by then Senate and House of Representatives Agriculture Committee Chairs Senator Francis Pangilinan and Rep. Mark Mendoza, and private sector leaders from the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Supported with specific short and long-term program recommendations, this AF2025 vision is quoted below:

1) Agriculture is recognized as the backbone of our economy, with a vibrant rural sector demonstrating strong production and purchasing power, thus serving as a solid foundation for economic development where social justice and equitable income distribution will prevail.

2) Food security is ensured, with food products plentiful and accessible to all at affordable prices, and where our agricultural exports exceed imports because of well-conceived and properly implemented agricultural sector and sub-sector master plans.

3) Our farmers and fisherfolk are prosperous, organized, productive and youthful, providing the strongest link in an efficient agricultural supply chain, and where an empowered rural women sector catalyzes rapid economic development because of its high return on investment.

4) Public and private investments are plentiful and profitable, resulting in more agricultural and agro-industrial jobs because of improved rural infrastructure, efficient irrigation systems, accessible credit, and effective research and development, with widespread technology transfer programs which have successfully addressed global competition and climate change.

5) President Noynoy Aquino’s Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) approach to governance is extensively used, especially at the local government unit (LGU) level. This has promoted integrity as an antidote to ignorance, making the Philippines a premier competitive agricultural force in the global economy.

Status

Today, this vision is far from being actualized. We must now implement the AF2025’s short and long term recommendations that were ignored in the last four years.

For the first point, agriculture should be deeply involved in key components that affect our economy.

Examples are formulating strategies for the Asean integration that starts this year and the antismuggling drive that remains a curse for our livelihoods and our people.

For the second point, agriculture production is definitely not plentiful. A big factor is that there are practically no completed agriculture sub-sector roadmaps. This is in contrast to 22 finalized and committed industry roadmaps, some of which were completed as early as October 2011.

For the third point, farmers, fisherfolk, and rural women have not achieved their full potential because the mandated public-private Agriculture and Fisheries Councils have not been empowered, where they are all involved.

In fact, the DA 2015 budget to achieve this objective was decreased, rather than increased.

For the fourth point, investments in agriculture have been slow in coming.

This is partly because the agrarian reform program did not include support services, economies of scale, and farm to market agribusiness systems in its components.

For the fifth point, PPP has been more the exception than the rule. This is because certain key DA officials do not support Alcala’s emphasis on farmers-fisherfolk involvement.

Thus, when these officials ask for private sector involvement, they do so with reluctance rather than enthusiasm, and additionally do very little follow-up.

This coming Jan. 17, nine private sector leaders identified during the 2011 AF2025 Conference are meeting.

They will identify the most important actions that Secretary Alcala can consider leading in order to achieve the AF2025 vision.

Four of them are former secretaries of three different presidential administrations, while the remaining five are the heads of key agricultural and fisheries organizations.

What happens after this to promote agriculture development will be the basis for inclusive growth promises in order to get the vote in the 2016 elections.

(The author is chair of Agriwatch, former Secretary for Presidential Flagship Programs and Projects, and former Undersecretary for Agriculture, Trade and Industry. For inquiries and suggestions, e-mail [email protected] or telefax (02) 8522112).