The government is taking a proactive role in increasing onion production in the country through an expansion program that aims to uplift the lives and livelihood of onion farmers.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) launched the Onion Expansion Program in late November in Tupi, South Cotabato. The program is seen as a strategic response to the elevated commodity prices witnessed in Luzon last year.
The Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in collaboration with Mindanao onion growers initiated the expansion program.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary James Layug emphasized the program’s commitment to combating agricultural smuggling, a menace that has adversely impacted the local onion industry.
Layug underscored the initiative’s core objective of promoting local onion production, which the DA aims to eliminate the dependency on imports, fostering self-sufficiency and potentially transforming South Cotabato into an onion exporting hub.
The program aligns with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel’s directive to boost production and eliminate agricultural smuggling.
Recent data reveals a positive shift in the agricultural landscape, with agriculture’s contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rising from 6 percent to 9 percent this year—a promising trend signaling the beginning of an agricultural evolution.
The Tupi Integrated Agriculture Cooperative (TIAC) and the Polo SN Farmers Association play pivotal roles in the program’s success.
The DA envisions a comprehensive whole of nation approach to inclusive and sustainable peace, aligning agricultural programs with goals of food security, environmental protection, and sustainable development.