Calipusan, Krizza Camelle L.

BSA-3B
Reaction Paper

“One DA Reform Agenda: Key Strategies to transforming Philippine Agriculture”

that was established by The Department of Agriculture (DA) on June 2021 aims to
transform the sector by employing major strategies towards a modern and industrialized
Philippine agriculture. This reform agenda is anchored on 18 key strategies divided into
four pillars which include consolidation, modernization, industrialization, and
professionalization. Consolidation has six key strategies, the Bayanihan Agri-Clusters
(BACs), Collective actions or cooperative development, province-led agriculture and
fisheries extension systems (PAFES), mobilization and empowerment of partners,
diversification, and credit support. Modernization has four strategies: technology and
innovation including digital agriculture, farm mechanization and infrastructure
investments, climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, and food safety and
regulations. Industrialization has three strategies: Agri-industrial business corridors;
global trade, export development, and promotion; and post-harvest, processing,
logistics, and marketing support. Lastly, professionalization has five strategies:
agriculture career system, education and training of agribusiness management, youth
and woman engagement, ease of doing business and transparent procurement, and
strategic communications.
I believe that transforming Philippine agriculture into a dynamic, high-growth
sector is essential for the country to speed up recovery, poverty reduction and inclusive
growth and I can say that implementing this agenda will help achieve the transformation
of Philippine agriculture into a modern sector that is competitive, secure and resilient
and help transform the Philippine agriculture into a dynamic, high-growth sector that
promotes investments and inclusive growth. It will also be helpful and beneficial to our
local farmers who needs assistant for their livelihood. As a youth and future agriculturist,
the thing I can contribute on the implementation of these strategies is to encourage
others to join the sector as well as participating in agricultural production activities.
Modern agriculture is more than tilling the soil and animals, the sector today offers
career opportunities in research, environment, financial management, engineering
and technical areas for us youths to explore. Taking advantage to the increased use of
mobile phones in our generation today can also help deter my fellow young people
away from stereotypes of traditional farming and help change their perceptions about
agriculture, helping them to view it as an exciting and innovative industry. Some people
think that farming activities are perceived as a job for the low class, illiterates, ages, and
rural people and therefore belittling. Therefore, no matter the efforts/incentives attached
to the empowerment program, some youths still belief that participation in such program
is belittling and as such not appropriate for an enlightened youth which negatively
affects the rate of youth participation in agriculture. Encouraging my fellow youths
engage in farming as a commercially viable business venture because we the youths
are the successor farming generation and therefore the future of food security in our
country.