The Department of Agriculture (DA) earmarked P2.6 billion to implement a program that strengthens extension services at the grassroots level to boost the farm sector’s growth.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Administrative Order (AO) 19, which outlined the implementing guidelines of its program dubbed the Deployment and Advancement of Responsive Extension on Agriculture for Community Holistic Development (DA-REACH).
This, after the DA noted that the extension worker-to-farmer ratio reached 1:499, creating systemic gaps in geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and climate-vulnerable communities.
‘These limitations have hindered the sector’s ability to fully realize opportunities for increased productivity, crop diversification, sustainable agriculture and fisheries development, and rural enterprise growth, highlighting the need for a more responsive and accessible extension system.’
As such, the DA operationalizes the DA-REACH until 2028 to enhance its existing extension mandate and complement the devolved extension functions of local government units (LGUs).
Implemented on a staggered basis over three years, the agency said the first phase will focus on site identification, profiling and selection of extension personnel, and capacity building.
The second phase will focus on the deployment of trained extension personnel, and capacity building and community support interventions.
Under AO 19, the agency will deploy 6,000 personnel through the existing pool of plantilla, contract of service (COS), and job order (JO) personnel within the DA.
The DA proposed around P2.6 billion for the program’s initial three-year implementation, funded by its banner programs, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and other authorized sources.
The program aims to deliver a raft of interventions to improve productivity, climate resilience, and post-harvest and value chain systems while accelerating the adoption of modern agricultural technologies and knowledge among farming and fishing communities.
Without prejudice to the agricultural extension functions devolved to LGUs, the DA said this seeks to foster a ‘more responsive, inclusive, coordinated, and technology-driven extension system.’
Priority areas of implementation include, but are not limited to, Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs); small island municipalities; climate-vulnerable communities; fourth- to fifth- income class municipalities.
Also included are areas with limited Agricultural Extension Worker (AEW) capacity relative to the registered farmers and fisherfolk in the RSBSA, NCFRS, and FishR; as well as those with high potential for agri-entrepreneurship and value chain integration.