Lecture 4 - ABE in Food Security and Sustainable Development

Food Security

physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life

4 Pillars of Food Security

• Food Availability

• Food Access

• Food Utilization

• Food Stability

Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP)

a result of a series of workshops and dialogue among food stakeholders spearheaded

• DA-Regional Field Units (DA-RFUs)

• Agricultural Training Institute (ATI)

• Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR)

• Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)

• Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM)

• Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech)

• Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC)

• National Food Authority (NFA)

• National Irrigation Administration (NIA)

• Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC)

• Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)

Major Challenges

• Feed the growing population

• Raising productivity (producing more with less)

• Investment on technologies

• Technology Adoption

• Strengthening Support Services

Reducing Postharvest Losses

• Harvesting, Piling, Threshing, Storage (5.08%)

• Drying (5.86%)

• Milling (5.52%)

Strategies and Interventions

• Raise Productivity and Competitiveness

• Enhance Economic Incentives and Enabling Mechanisms

• Manage Food Staples Consumption 

Philippine Agri Sector - Its Inefficiencies

• More modern farm equipment and post-harvest facilities

• For the fishery sector, there is an urgent need for more testing facilities to enable production of more global standards - compliant products

• Reduction of the cost of shipping and logistics

Mechanization - The Answer to the Food Staple Sufficiency

• The National Agri-Fishery Mechanization Program

• Fisheries and Agricultural Mechanization Act of AFMech (Republic Act No. 10601). The law has the following Declaration of Policy:

a.) Promote the development and adoption of modern, appropriate and cost effective and environmentally safe agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment to enhance farm productivity and efficiency in order to achieve FSS - food security, safety and increase farmers’ income;

b.) Provide a conducive environment to the local assembling and manufacturing of engines, machinery and equipment for agriculture and fisheries production, processing and marketing

c.) Ensure the quality and safety of machineries and equipment locally manufactures or imported by strengthening regulation through the development and enforcement of machinery and machine performance standards,

d.) Strengthen support services such as credit facilities, research, training and extension programs, rural infrastructures, post harvest facilities and marketing services;

e.) Unify, rationalize and strengthen the implementation, coordination of activities and mechanisms on agriculture and fisheries mechanization programs and projects; and

f.) Deliver integrated support services to farmers, fisherfolks and other stakeholders, and to assist them to be able to viably operate and manage thru agriculture and fisheries mechanization projects.

Agricultural and Fishery Mechanization

refers to the development, adoption, assembly, manufacture and application of appropriate, location specific and cost effective agricultural and fishery machinery using human, animal, mechanical, electrical, renewable and other non-conventional sources of energy or agricultural production and post-harvest/postproduction operations consistent with agronomic conditions and for efficient and economic farm and fishery management towards modernization of agriculture and fisheries;

Agricultural and Fisheries Machinery

refers to to machinery and equipment for the production, harvesting, processing, storage, manufacture, preserving, transporting, and distribution of agricultural and fisheries products

Agricultural Processing

refers to the local activity or series of activities to maintain or raise the quality or change the form or characteristics of agricultural, fishery and forestry products

Fishing Boat

refers to any boat, ship or other watercraft of three (3) gross tons or less, equipped to be used for taking of fishery specifies or aiding or assisting one (1) or more vessels in the performance of any activity relating to fishing, but not limited to preservation, supply, storage, refrigeration, transportation and/or processing.

Five Components of the Law

1. Local Assembling/Manufacture and Supply of Agri-Fishery Engine, Machinery and Equipment

2. Standards and Regulation

3. Research, Development and Extension

4. Information Network and Professional Engineering Services 

5. Ag. Fishery Human Resource Development Program

Mechanization to Boost Food Staple Sufficiency Program

• aims to raise efficiency of farm operations and reduce post harvest losses, in support of production targets.

• Acquisition of various farm machinery and PHFs will be encouraged through

  sharing of financing schemes and soft loans

• Promote the acquisition of appropriate farm machinery to bolster efficiency,

  ensure timeliness of farm operations