Food Is First Essential And, Therefore, Recovery Of Agriculture Equals Economic Recovery – William Dar, Agriculture Secretary

This time, we begin with a song from “The Sound Of Music” – Do-Re-MI: “Let’s start at the very beginning/ A very good place to start/ When you read you begin with A-B-C…

A is where you begin PH Economic Recovery. ANN says Secretary of Agriculture William Dar says (Author Not Named, 02 Feb 2022, “Phl Agri Backs Up Economic Recovery With Food Production Agenda,” DA.gov.ph):

The agri chief (says) the country saw the importance of the agri sector during the most difficult times of the pandemic, thus tying the Philippine agriculture’s transformational agenda with economic recovery.
(“Food is essential” image from Pinterest.ph)

“Tying the Philippine agriculture’s transformational agenda with economic recovery” – because agriculture feeds every hungry stomach, and if the food is problematic, the country is problematic as hell.

At the 2^nd year anniversary of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Zero Hunger, as head of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Mr Dar says:

The unprecedented crisis forced us to tackle the goal of food security through a cross-sectoral approach.

Food security is paramount.

(The DA) is modeling its food systems approach with that of the United Nations. I hope that this can be adopted by the (IATF) on Zero Hunger on top of the cross-sectoral approach to address issues in production, incomes and nutrition, processing, distribution, consumption, food safety, and sustainability and resiliency.

On my part, I have identified the 3 Global Goliaths the world has to fight, Agriculture being the David to defeat them all (see my essay, “Organic Agriculture – Simultaneously Solving Farmer Poverty & Bad Health & Climate Change – Killing 3 Global Goliaths With 1 Stone!” 09 Feb 2022, Primate Change, Blogspot.com).

I continue quoting ANN:

The agri chief (adds) that the country saw the importance of the agri sector during the most difficult times of the pandemic, thus tying the Philippine agriculture’s transformational agenda with economic recovery. With food and other inputs for food production considered as essential, agriculture was recognized as a resilient sector that could tide over the economy.

Mr Dar says, “The Asian Development Bank Outlook 2021 says that the Philippine economy will grow six percent in 2022.”

Among other things the DA has done, ANN says:

The DA has kicked-off measures to avoid bottlenecks in the supply chain including the increased distribution of livestock and high-yielding rice and corn seeds to farmers all across the country. The agency also (expanded)… support of the fisheries sector, building various infrastructures such as roads, bridges, postharvest facilities, and potable water systems.

Mr Dar says:

We distributed more equipment, fingerlings, planting materials, post-harvest equipment and new technology – and extended support for livelihood…

ANN says:

Assisting both producers and consumers alike, the DA has intensified the implementation of the enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita, and partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry in organizing the Diskwento Caravan.

Mr Dar says:

This collaboration has served impoverished communities nationwide…These have also created employment for many Filipinos.

As the farming goes, so goes the family, so goes the nation.@517