The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allotted P24 billion to establish climate-smart agriculture and food systems in the next three years.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the DA is committed to invest in mainstreaming climate resiliency as the core of all its programs and activities, attributing over $480 million (about P24 billion) for climate change starting in 2022.
This commitment was made during the first virtual Agriculture for Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate Ministerial Meeting, held last February 22 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
More than 30 member-countries attended the ministerial meeting, including the United States, Canada and Japan.
The AIM for Climate was first launched in November 2021 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) in Glasgow, known as the Conference of Parties (COP26).
There, Dar delivered a statement of official support of the Philippines to the initiative and showcased the country's economic program for building the resiliency of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk.
In this year's AIM ministerial meeting, Dar took the opportunity to remind governments and policymakers on the urgency of accelerating agricultural research and development.
"In the Philippines, we at the 'OneDA Family' have centered our climate change and resiliency agenda on strengthening agriculture research for development – including the establishment of biotechnology centers for crops, livestock and fisheries," he said.
The Philippine government is also working with various telecommunication firms in strengthening of telco infrastructure to provide climate information service and capacity-building on productivity-enhancing technology, he said.
Dar said the "OneDA Family" is also steadfast in providing credit and insurance for establishment of climate-proof facilities, as well distributing agriculture and fishery maps to aid farmers and fishers in the fight against climate change.
"We aim to implement these plans through knowledge exchange, science uptake, and public-private partnerships," he added.
The DA is also scaling up and sustaining its grassroot flagship climate program, dubbed as AMIA or adaptation and mitigation initiative in agriculture.
To date, 130 AMIA villages have been established nationwide, said Alice Ilaga, director of the DA Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (CRAO).
She said that under the inter-agency "Balik Probinsya" program, the DA uses the AMIA village approach, allotting P1 billion for 2021 and 2022.
"The department will continue its initiatives to reduce the impact of climate change through its CRAO, particularly in the establishment of more AMIA villages in vulnerable regions," Dar said.
"We must introduce adaptation and mitigation measures to communities rather than to individual farmers and fisherfolks, where communities facing similar climate risks are provided with tailor-fitted, integrated support service," he added.
