DTI, DA unite to help farmers, fishermen

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have forged a partnership to help farmers and fishermen grow their business.

The two agencies will help farmers and fishermen in business licensing, trade facilitation and export market exposure.

Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo led the opening of the Agribusiness Center with DA Secretary Proceso Alcala in Diliman recently to coincide with the 113th anniversary of the Department of Agriculture.

The P12-million project houses an information center, export showroom, an activity center and a café, where the public can sample native delicacies and recipes from chefs demonstrating their cooking skills and culinary expertise.

The center will serve as a “one-stop shop” to deliver business services closer to the farmers and fisherfolk like business name registration, certifications, permits and licensing.

Using the center as a venue, they can promote and showcase products from their region, learn about new technologies and processes, conduct business fora and meetings as well as a physical and virtual meeting place where producers, buyers, suppliers could link and transact business.

The partnership the two agencies share bring advantage and edge to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“With this partnership, DTI offers its facilities to DA through its regional offices and trade attaches abroad for learning opportunities and export facilitation,” Domingo said.

“We work with the DA to ensure food security to be self-sufficient and food prices to be affordable to consumers of the basic commodities and prime goods,” he added.

The country’s food sector posted double-digit growth rates of 58.83 percent year-on-year in April 2011 and 24.61 percent year-to-date in the first four months of 2011.

The main drivers of growth were processed food/beverage with a 29.74 percent increase, fresh fruits and vegetables with 142.42 percent and marine products with 19.33 percent.

In time, the Department of Agriculture will make the center a window of other regions that will be complemented with services by other agencies, particularly the DTI. “We continue to push our programs to provide safe, low cost of goods to the public,” said Alcala.

Other agencies involved with the Agribusiness Center are the Department of Tourism, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform and from the private sector, the Philippine Food Exporters. –Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star)