Position Paper on AFMECH Law

I. Summary of the RA/Policy to be reviewed

The Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMECH) Law, also known as Republic Act No.
10601, is a policy that promotes the development and adoption of modern, appropriate, and cost-effective
agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment to enhance farm productivity and efficiency. It also
aims to provide a conducive environment for the local assembling and manufacturing of engines,
machinery, and equipment for agricultural and fisheries production, processing, and marketing.
II. Purpose of the RA/Policy
The purpose of the AFMECH Law is to increase farmers' income, achieve food security and safety, and
promote the development of the agricultural and fisheries sector in the Philippines. It seeks to unify,
rationalize, and strengthen the implementation and coordination of activities and mechanisms on
agricultural and fisheries mechanization programs and projects.
III. Status of Implementation
The AFMECH Law has been in effect since 2013. The Department of Agriculture (DA) is responsible for
the overall implementation of the National Agri-fishery Mechanization Program, which aims to promote
and support the local development and manufacture of agricultural and fisheries machinery by the private
sector. The DA has also formulated a unified National Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Research
and Development and Extension (RDE) Agenda to develop appropriate, location-specific, and
cost-effective agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment.
IV. Review of RA/Policy
Article I: Declaration of Policy, Definition of Terms, and Coverage
The AFMECH Law declares the policy of the State to promote the development and adoption of modern,
appropriate, and cost-effective agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment. It defines terms such
as agricultural and fisheries machinery, agricultural and fisheries mechanization, agro-industrial
processing, and fishing boat. The provision of this Act applies to the research, development and
extension, promotion, distribution, supply, assembling, manufacturing, regulation, use, operation,
maintenance, and project implementation of agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment.
Two specific provisions that concern me in this article are:
Section 2 (c) - Ensure the quality and safety of machineries and equipment locally manufactured or
imported by strengthening regulation through the development and enforcement of machinery and
machine performance standards, regular testing and evaluation, registration, and the accreditation and
classification of suppliers, assemblers, and manufacturers to ensure compliance with prescribed quality
standards.
Comment: While it is essential to ensure the quality and safety of agricultural and fisheries machinery and
equipment, the accreditation and classification of suppliers, assemblers, and manufacturers may pose a
challenge to small-scale producers who may not have the resources to comply with the prescribed quality
standards. The government should provide support to these producers to help them comply with the
standards.
Section 2 (d) - Strengthen support services such as credit facilities, research, training and extension
programs, rural infrastructures, postharvest facilities, and marketing services.
Comment: While strengthening support services is crucial to the success of the AFMECH Law, the
government should ensure that these services are accessible to small-scale producers who may not have
the resources to access them. The government should also provide training and extension programs that
are tailored to the needs of small-scale producers.
Article II: The National Agri-fishery Mechanization Program
The National Agri-fishery Mechanization Program aims to promote and support the local development and
manufacture of agricultural and fisheries machinery by the private sector. It seeks to unify, lead, and
support the efforts of various institutions in the research, design, and development of agricultural and
fisheries machinery. It also establishes quality, safety, and performance standards for agricultural and
fisheries machinery.
Two specific provisions that concern me in this article are:
Section 5 (a) - Promote and support through the provision of research grants, credit, transparent and
predictable regulation, the local development and manufacture of agricultural and fisheries machinery by
the private sector.
Comment: While promoting and supporting the local development and manufacture of agricultural and
fisheries machinery is essential, the government should ensure that small-scale producers have access to
research grants and credit. The government should also provide transparent and predictable regulation to
ensure that small-scale producers are not disadvantaged.
Section 6 (e) - Formulate and enforce guidelines for the credit program to include, but not limited to,
access, disbursement, and repayment.
Comment: While formulating and enforcing guidelines for the credit program is crucial to the success of
the AFMECH Law, the government should ensure that small-scale producers have access to credit. The
government should also provide credit programs that are tailored to the needs of small-scale producers.
Article III: Research, Extension, and Human Resource Development
The AFMECH Law mandates the formulation and implementation of a unified National Agricultural and
Fisheries Mechanization Research and Development and Extension (RDE) Agenda. It seeks to develop
appropriate, location-specific, and cost-effective agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment.
Two specific provisions that concern me in this article are:
Section 7 (g) - Training of farmers, fisherfolk, manufacturers, extension workers, agricultural engineers,
technicians, and operators engaged in agricultural and fisheries mechanization.
Comment: While training is crucial to the success of the AFMECH Law, the government should ensure
that training programs are accessible to small-scale producers who may not have the resources to access
them. The government should also provide training programs that are tailored to the needs of small-scale
producers.
Section 7 (h) - Promotion of technologies through agricultural and industrial extension activities and
techno-demo centers.
Comment: While promoting technologies is essential to the success of the AFMECH Law, the government
should ensure that small-scale producers have access to these technologies. The government should
also provide extension activities and techno-demo centers that are tailored to the needs of small-scale
producers.
V. Conclusion
The AFMECH Law is a crucial policy that seeks to promote the development of the agricultural and
fisheries sector in the Philippines. While the policy has made significant progress in promoting the
development and adoption of modern, appropriate, and cost-effective agricultural and fisheries machinery
and equipment, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. The government should ensure that
small-scale producers have access to the resources and support they need to comply with the prescribed
quality standards, access credit, and access training programs and technologies. By addressing these
challenges, the government can ensure that the AFMECH Law achieves its objectives of increasing
farmers' income, achieving food security and safety, and promoting the development of the agricultural
and fisheries sector in the Philippines.
Title 1
Section 1 of the policy sets out big plans to revamp farming and fishing by aiming to boost earnings, make
sure there's enough food for everyone, make our farmers and fishermen competitive worldwide, and
protect the little guys in the business. While these goals sound great, it might be even better if they got
specific about what success looks like for each goal. Setting clear targets, like how much profit or how
many new jobs, could help everyone stay on track and see how well things are going over time. In
Section 3, they define terms like "agricultural lands," "agrarian reform community," and "barangay," which
are pretty important to understand what's in the policy. But they could make these definitions even better
by giving us more practical details. Things like which lands are best for different crops or animals and tips
for making land ownership better could make these definitions more useful for everyone trying to follow
along with the policy in real life.

Title 2

Section 65 boldly highlights the importance of focusing on education and training in science and
technology to speed up our progress as a society and support the growth of individuals. However, to
make this commitment even stronger, it would be helpful to detail specific plans and programs that can
put this policy into action. By laying out clear strategies for schools, universities, and vocational
institutions, we can ensure that this priority becomes a reality for everyone.
Moving to Section 66, the creation of the National Agriculture and Fisheries Education System (NAFES) is
a crucial part of the policy, aiming to establish a well-rounded education system that matches the needs of
our economy, communities, and society. To make this system even better, it would be beneficial to provide
more specifics, like what subjects will be taught or how partnerships with industries and local communities
will work. This way, the education provided can better meet the unique demands of the agriculture and
fisheries sectors and easily adapt to changes in these industries.

Title 1: Production and Marketing Support Services This section outlines crucial objectives and financial
aid provisions aiming to bolster the agriculture and fisheries sectors. While the Objective and Credit
Assistance sections offer a comprehensive view, their effectiveness could be amplified. For instance,
setting specific milestones for each objective would provide a roadmap for focused implementation and
measurement of progress. Additionally, adapting credit schemes to better accommodate seasonal income
variations among small-scale farmers and fishermen could significantly enhance the provision's
accessibility and utility.
Section 1: Objective: While the policy aims are clear, it's like setting off on a journey without a destination
in mind. It might help if we set specific checkpoints or goals along the way, like aiming to increase crop
productivity by 20% in five years. This way, we'll know if we're on the right track and making real progress.
Section 10: Credit Assistance: Sometimes, it feels like the repayment plans for loans are too strict,
especially when our income fluctuates throughout the year. It could be great if they could adjust the
payment schedule to match the seasons when we earn less. This flexibility could really help us manage
our finances better.

Title 2: Human Resource Development Education and Training Programs and Scholarships and Grants
underline the paramount importance of education within agriculture and fisheries. To maximize their
impact, augmenting these sections by emphasizing practical learning experiences, mentorship initiatives,
or industry-linked internships would better equip individuals for the multifaceted challenges within these
sectors. Offering a more holistic learning experience would likely result in more prepared and versatile
professionals entering these fields.
Section 20: Education and Training Programs: Learning from books is good, but nothing beats getting
your hands dirty in the field! It might be awesome if our education could include more practical
experiences or internships on farms or with fishermen. That way, we'll be better prepared for the real
challenges we'll face when we start working.
Section 25: Scholarships and Grants: Sometimes, getting financial help for our studies is a huge relief.
But wouldn't it be fantastic if we could get some guidance from people working in the industry too? Maybe
pairing scholarships with mentorship programs or internships could give us a better idea of what to expect
in our future careers.

Title 3: Research Development and Extension Research Initiatives and Extension Services highlight the
critical role of research and information dissemination. Strengthening collaboration among stakeholders
involved in research and leveraging modern communication tools for extension services could
significantly enhance these provisions. Enhanced collaboration could yield more relevant and applicable
outcomes, while modern communication tools can bridge information gaps and ensure timely, useful
insights reach stakeholders, ultimately fostering industry advancements.
Section 30: Research Initiatives: Collaborating with scientists, farmers, and local communities can yield
some truly innovative ideas! What if we worked together more to solve problems and come up with
solutions that truly benefit us? Establishing channels for information exchange and collaboration on
projects could have a significant impact.
Section 35: Extension Services: Obtaining up-to-date knowledge on farming or fishing techniques can be
challenging at times. It could be very beneficial if we had access to resources that break things down into
easy-to-understand terms, like apps or online workshops. We could adopt better practices if new
channels of information were found and shared with us, such as community workshops or mobile apps.

Title 4: Rural Non-Farm Employment Efforts within this title, particularly Non-Farm Employment and
Support for Rural Enterprises, seek to diversify rural economies. To amplify their impact, a more robust
emphasis on entrepreneurship programs, vocational training tailored to local needs, and comprehensive
guidance on market access could stimulate the creation of diverse job opportunities and nurture the
sustainability of rural enterprises, fostering economic growth.
Section 40: Encouraging Non-Farm Employment: Expanding the number of training facilities or
workshops in rural areas may open up employment options for us that do not involve farming. We could
significantly improve our communities and ourselves by picking up new skills or launching small
businesses under expert guidance.
Section 45: Assistance for Rural Enterprises: It can be intimidating at times to know how to market our
goods or grow our small companies. It could really help if we had mentors or workshops to help with
marketing or business expansion. Having a mentor to help us with these steps could significantly improve
our businesses.

Title 5: Trade and Fiscal Incentives Fiscal Incentives and Trade Facilitation aim to encourage investments
and streamline trade-related processes. To heighten their effectiveness, specifying attractive fiscal
incentives aligned with sustainability goals and simplifying trade-related procedures, perhaps through the
establishment of support centers, could entice increased investments and enable smoother global market
participation, thereby fortifying the sectors' competitiveness.
Section 50: Fiscal Incentives: Wouldn't it be great if we got some help with taxes for using more
sustainable practices? If the law could encourage and reward us for eco-friendly farming or fishing
methods through tax incentives, it might motivate more of us to adopt these practices.
Section 55: Trade Facilitation: Simplifying paperwork and offering help to understand trade rules or
agreements could make it easier for us to sell our products overseas. Maybe having support centers or
online platforms to guide us through these processes could open up more opportunities for our products
in global markets.

The Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMech) Law lays down provisions to accelerate
farm mechanization across Philippine agriculture. It aims to facilitate farmer access and promote adoption
of modern, productivity-enhancing machinery via multi-pronged support spanning technology access,
local manufacturing, standardization, research and capacity building. The Law's coverage ranges from
guidelines to foster mechanization uptake to institutional mechanisms for coordinated implementation. It
mandates localized action through assigned LGU responsibilities. Overall, the AFMech Law pushes
systemic transformation to unlock the potential of appropriate farm mechanization to raise Philippine
agricultural productivity, profitability and global competitiveness.

Title 1: Production and Marketing Support Services This part acts like a comprehensive handbook for
farmers and fishermen. It's all about helping them improve their work, offering advice on increasing crop
yields, catching more fish sustainably, and guiding them on better ways to sell their products. It's like a
supportive coach, providing strategies and tools to enhance their success in agriculture and fisheries.

Title 2: Human Resource Development Think of this section as an educational hub for aspiring individuals
in farming and fishing. It's focused on learning and skill-building, offering opportunities for people to grow
and become experts in these fields. It's like a mentor, guiding them through learning experiences to
become proficient and adaptable in agricultural and fisheries practices.

Title 3: Research Development and Extension This title is akin to an innovation center for farming and
fishing. It's all about discovering new techniques, sharing knowledge, and ensuring that everyone
involved is up-to-date with the latest advancements. It's like a collaborative network, where experts
exchange ideas to revolutionize agricultural and fisheries practices.

Title 4: Rural Non-Farm Employment Imagine this part as a doorway to diverse opportunities beyond
traditional farming and fishing. It's about creating jobs in rural areas, nurturing entrepreneurship, and
providing skills training. It's like unlocking new avenues for people to explore various careers and
economic opportunities right in their communities.

Title 5: Trade and Fiscal Incentives This section resembles a marketplace designed to support farmers
and fishermen. It's about easing trade barriers, offering incentives, and simplifying trade processes to
expand market access. It's like providing a supportive ecosystem, enabling easier transactions and
encouraging participation in global markets for agricultural and fisheries products.