AS the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) celebrates its 9th year anniversary this month, the attached agency continues to encourage people’s participation in the development of agriculture and fisheries based on the principle of good governance.

The PCAF vowed to continue its commitment to enhancing participatory governance, promoting transparency and accountability, and improving the system of check and balance which was commended by Agriculture Sec. William Dar.

“PCAF, together with the Agricultural and Fishery Councils at the national and regional levels, has really been a vital instrument in rolling out various Department of Agriculture (DA) initiatives,” Dar said.

Dar also mentioned the role of PCAF in accreditation and mobilization of the Civil Society Organizations. The CSOs are DA’s partners in ensuring effective and efficient implementation of the Department’s food security thrusts, increase food sufficiency, additional budget support, and faster adoption of modern technology in the agriculture sector.

As part of our 9th anniversary celebration, PCAF hosted the first National DA CSO Summit to heighten the significance of CSOs towards the achievement of Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita, OIC Executive Director Liza G. Battad announced.

Also as a participatory hub, PCAF facilitates broad-based participatory development mechanisms and processes in the agriculture and fisheries sector. These include conduct of stakeholder consultations, dialogues, and participatory monitoring and tracking of agency accomplishments specifically in the implementation of agricultural and fishery programs and projects.

Likewise, Dar lauded the agency for its accomplishments under the OneDA Reform Agenda.

These include the coordination with the private sector-partners of the agriculture and fishery sector for the facilitation of consultation to develop Commodity Industry Roadmaps and the National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan 2021-2030.

As one of PCAF’s Advisory Special Bodies, the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council (NAF Council) also provides assistance to the DA in broad-based monitoring and coordination of the Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act processes.

As anchored on the NAF Council mandates and functions, PCAF, through its Participatory Monitoring and Tracking team tracks the implementation of DA programs and projects, and substantiates and gives credence to the Department’s accomplishment report.

As part of NAF Council’s function is their recommendation on the endorsement and approval of PhP270.6-Billion Plan and Budget Proposal of the Department for Fiscal Year 2023 in May 2022.

Dar also underscored that agriculture is too important to be left alone to DA, which is why it is necessary to engage private sectors, CSOs, practitioners, academe and even the youth as stakeholders in the agri-fishery sector.

With that, PCAF created the Agricultural and Fishery Youthpreneur Councils or AFYCs. According to OIC Dir. Battad, this is to acknowledge the potential of the young creative and enthusiastic minds as primary actors in shaping the policy agenda of the agri-fishery development.

“Let us continue to manage reforms to inspire the manifestation of effects of policies and decide to institutionalize reforms to promote organizational development and employee welfare to sustain our unwavering commitment to serve Filipino farmers and fishers,” OIC ED Battad added.

The weeklong anniversary celebration has started on June 27 with an exhibit of old photos of past employees and officials of the then-National Agricultural and Fishery Council and Livestock Development Council before it was consolidated into PCAF, as well as, the accomplishments of PCAF in the past nine years.

There will also be Knowledge Unloading Days (KUDs) as part of the efforts of the agency to create a knowledge-sharing culture within the agency and its stakeholders.

The virtual KUDs will feature the results of the recent Full-Blown Impact Assessment (FBIA) on the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act with the Development Academy of the Philippines and the study of “Enhancing Gender Outcomes of Different Rice Related Agencies through Gender Analysis of Rice Supply Chain and Advocacies, with the Rice Watch Action Network Inc.