The Philippines and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations are strengthening cooperation on agriculture and food security following the first official visit of FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu to the Department of Agriculture.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the visit underscores a 48-year partnership aimed at transforming food systems, raising farm incomes, and improving food security.
“That relationship must be further strengthened,” Tiu Laurel said, noting that FAO-supported programs have expanded assistance to farmers and fisherfolk in vulnerable communities.
The Philippines, a founding member of the FAO, has worked with the agency since 1978. Qu said the country’s biodiversity, fisheries sector, and young workforce position it well to advance the FAO’s “four betters”: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.
He also cited ongoing efforts to strengthen value chains, attract investments, and reduce postharvest losses.
During bilateral talks, both sides flagged risks from climate change, biodiversity loss, and geopolitical tensions that are driving up oil and fertilizer costs. They called for stronger regional coordination to protect farmers from market shocks.
Tiu Laurel pushed for expanded public-private partnerships to fast-track investments in irrigation, farm infrastructure, and postharvest systems to boost productivity and incomes.
The Philippines is also scaling up engagement under the FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative, with a National Investment Forum scheduled in April and participation in global investment events in Rome later this year. Priority commodities include seaweed, abaca, bamboo, and mango.
Manila also confirmed participation in the FAO Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in Brunei in April and renewed its bid to host the 2028 edition. Additionally, the Philippines is set to host the first Asia-Pacific conference on agricultural mechanization in November.
Both sides presented plans to mobilize financing from multilateral institutions and climate funds to support a more resilient and inclusive agrifood system.
