Arroyo contribution to Agriculture

Goal 1: Cost-effectively develop at least two million hectares of new lands1 for agribusiness in order to
contribute two million out of the 10 million jobs targeted as a legacy by 2010.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), in collaboration with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), was tasked to spearhead Goal 1. Goal 1
has been adopted as a strategy to expand the job opportunities and raise farmers' incomes in the
countryside with the increase in production areas and promotion of agribusiness enterprises.
From 2005 to 2009, a total of 1.799 million hectares of agribusiness and agro-forestry lands have been
developed of which 17,258 hectares were developed for biofuels. This is equivalent to 88 percent of the
two million hectare target by 2010. On the other hand, a total of 2.62 million jobs2 have been generated
from different agricultural activities. It may be noted that 53 percent of the 1.799 million hectares
developed and 54 percent of the 2.62 million jobs created was accomplished in the Mindanao
Agribusiness Super Region. For the Biofuel Feedstock Investments, a total of 25 projects were started
covering a required area of one million hectares with a potential investment of P36.365 billion.
Goal 2: Make food plentiful at competitive prices where the cost of priority wage goods such as rice,
sugar, vegetables, poultry, pork and fish, and other important non-wage goods like corn must be
reduced.

The government through the Department of Agriculture has provided market assistance to our farmers
by increasing the price of agricultural products and by providing alternative market outlets. This
intervention aims to reduce food prices by reducing marketing layers in bringing farm produce to the
consumers

Philippines, a major importer of agricultural products and inputs during PGMA era

The consequence of the decreasing share of agriculture to the country’s gross

domestic product which happened during the time of PGMA is that
the Philippines became a major importer of agricultural products and inputs.
For years 1994-2008, the Philippines imported 61.5% more than exports. Agricultural imports
totaled about US$4.28 B while exports were only about US$ 2.655 B, a difference of
US$1.634 B. Our agricultural imports and exports consisted of the following: Food and live materials,
tobacco and tobacco manufacturers, crude materials animals and vegetable oils and
fats, fertilizer manufactured, agricultural chemicals, and agricultural machinery.

The 10-year Arroyo period recorded a notable growth of almost 3% a year. The drought in 2009 and
2010 led to about 1% contraction in output. Structurally, growth was relatively diversified. Crops
contributed 41.2% to total growth, livestock 7.8%, poultry 10.9%, and fishery 32.1%. Within crops, palay
supplied 14.7% and corn 5.7%. However, coconut, one of the largest if not the largest farm area at 3.5
million hectares, turned in a measly 3.5%. Sugar posted a negative contribution. More notable is the
12.9% contribution of other crops, especially banana and pineapple, to total growth.
More detailed information: https://www.gloriamarroyo.ph/accomplishments-by-sector-agriculture.html