Laurel seeks to empower farmers, fishers vs climate change challenges
THE farmers and fisherfolk sectors must be strengthened against the challenges of climate change through the building of resilient farming and fishing communities, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said.
Laurel said addressing climate change “demands prompt attention and concerted action” since this phenomenon is now considered as an immediate and critical global concern.”
The secretary made the commitment at the start of the Climate Change Consciousness Week with the theme “Bayanihan Para sa Klima: Bagong Bansang Matatag,” which underscores the importance of working hand-in-hand in the fight against climate change.
“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has emphasized the critical need for implementing measures to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change across various sectors, especially agriculture and food production,” Laurel said.
He also disclosed their campaign against climate change will be further boosted with the inclusion in the proposed 2024 DA budget of a special provision to increase resilience among agriculture communities through infrastructure and seeds development.
Special Provision Number 15 within the budget emphasizes that the DA shall endeavor to increase the resilience of agriculture communities through two key approaches.
First, through the implementation of disaster-resilient agriculture infrastructure projects and second, through the development of optimally adaptive seeds to present and future climate change conditions.
The Climate Change Consciousness Week also celebrates the 10th anniversary of DA’s Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) Program.
This program trains all communities, particularly those dependent on agriculture and fisheries, to become resilient to the increasing adverse effects of climate change.
AMIA, which has organized 181 model villages across the country, recognizes the need for adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect farmers, fisherfolk, and the environment.
Serving as a source of best practices for other communities to learn and emulate, the AMIA villages are centers of technological and institutional innovation with access to vital climate relevant support services.
Laurel said that AMIA is “a pivotal component of this [climate change] initiative, [and] mirrors our dedication to securing a resilient and robust agriculture sector by being a platform of partnership and innovation for climate action across the whole DA.”
