1. Philippine Agricultural Development Framework and the ASEAN Agenda
Panel Session on
“ASEAN and Agriculture”
Regional Conference on
Civil Society Engagement with the ASEAN
October 3-5, 2005
Bangkok, Thailand

2. Philippine Agriculture
Bedrock of the rural economy
Major source of raw resources on which the rest of the economy depends
Accounts for 20% of GNP
1/3 of the population employed in agriculture or agriculture-related industries

3. Philippine Agriculture and Poverty Alleviation
Poverty in the Philippines essentially a rural phenomenon
Magnitude of poverty highest in the rural areas where agriculture serves as the economic base
Development of agriculture , which plays a such a major role in the generation of incomes and employment in the countryside, is therefore essential to any anti-poverty program

4. Philippine Agriculture
Very limited impact in reducing rural unemployment, underemployment and poverty
Agricultural production has grown less than population growth
Agricultural productivity improvements not sufficient to reduce food prices to regional levels
Highly seasonal nature of agriculture, vulnerability to price fluctuations and generally low prices offered to raw products

5. MTPDP 2004-2010 Holistic Approach in Reducing Rural Poverty
The Agribusiness Approach
Address production bottlenecks in agriculture and its inherent vulnerabilities
Promotion of agribusiness to address agricultural production constraints, post-production handling, value-adding, and distribution concerns

6. Agribusiness Approach
Expansion of production base: breaking out from subsistence agriculture by increasing and diversifying the marketable surplus of the farm
Raising production and distribution efficiency: increasing the price and quality competitiveness of the farm
Promoting equitable distribution of production and productivity gains: governance and institutional reforms to ensure, among others, that the gains will result in commensurate farmer and consumer welfare gains

7. Philippine Agricultural Development Framework and the ASEAN Agenda
ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
End-goal of economic integration
Establish ASEAN as a single market and production base, with free flow of goods, services, investment and labor, and freer flow of capital towards fulfillment of ASEAN Vision 2020

8. Philippine Agricultural Development Framework and the ASEAN Agenda
AEC can provide the environment conducive to enhancing the attainment of the goals and objectives of the MTPDP agribusiness approach.

9. Philippine Agricultural Development Framework and the ASEAN Agenda
MTPDP Agribusiness Approach
ASEAN Economic Integration through AEC
Expansion of production base:
breaking out from subsistence agriculture by increasing and diversifying the marketable surplus of the farm
Opportunities for expanded market base
ASEAN region: population of about 500 million, total trade of US$720 billion
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA): elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers among the member countries expected to promote greater economic efficiency, productivity and competitiveness

10. Philippine Agricultural Development Framework and the ASEAN Agenda
MTPDP Agribusiness Approach
ASEAN Economic Integration through AEC
Raising production and distribution efficiency:
increasing the price and quality competitiveness of the farm
Promoting equitable distribution of production and productivity gains:
governance and institutional reforms to ensure, among others, that the gains will result in commensurate farmer and consumer welfare gains
Productivity enhancement and reduced poverty (ASEAN Vision 2020):
create a stable, prosperous and highly competitive ASEAN Economic Region, in which there is a free flow of goods, services, investments, capital
trans-ASEAN transportation, communication and energy networks
equitable economic development and reduced poverty and socio-economic disparities

11. Challenges Ahead
Intense competition with the removal of trade barriers, rising demand for higher quality products and higher standards, costly compliance with new trade rules
Overcoming marginalization resulting from integration of markets
Adapting to technological change
Coping with the new institutional environment that economic integration will necessarily bring about

12. Challenges Ahead Unity in ASEAN
Keynote Address of Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban, Department of Agriculture, Philippines
27th SOM-AMAF Meeting (Senior Officials Meeting-ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture & Forestry) September 2005, Tagaytay City, Philippines
Unity in ASEAN
Globalized trade environment
Relentlessly pursue common goals for the region
and claim our right to benefit from globalized trade

13. "Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997."
People Empowerment
The State shall promote people empowerment by enabling all citizens through direct participation or through their duly elected chosen or designated representatives the opportunity to participate in policy formulation and decision-making by establishing the appropriate mechanisms and by giving them access to information.

14. Section 13. Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Plan (AFMP)
The Department, in consultation with farmers and fisherfolks, the private sector, NGOs, peoples organizations people's organization and the appropriate government agencies and offices shall formulate and implement a medium and long-term comprehensive Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Plan.

15. Maraming salamat po at mabuhay!