President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has welcomed the use of new technology, such as the digitalization of the farmer registry and the creation of a digital food balance sheet (FBS) to further develop the agriculture sector in the country.
In a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) for the agriculture sector at the Malacañang Palace last February 21, President Marcos acknowledged the need to update and digitalize the processes and systems in the agriculture sector.
“Well, if we can [get] digitalization in place as quickly as possible…everyone needs it. So that’s what you need to do is you get the system in place, specific for the agriculture. Hopefully, it will become part eventually of the government system,” President Marcos told PSAC members.
The PSAC pointed out that the digital FBS would include real-time data and accelerate change in the agriculture sector.
The proposed FBS is foreseen to increase the income of small-holder farmers and result in additional government budget savings.
Based on the data provided by PSAC, Kenya is also tapping the FBS, but it will take 12 weeks to set up a digital balance sheet.
A similar method is being employed by Indonesia.
The PSAC also recommended to the President, who is also agriculture secretary, the creation of an FBS Committee composed of people from the public and private sectors.
The council said that fixing storage, logistics and coupled with the FBS, will be an effective way to go about reaching the country’s target to attain food security in sugar, rice, coconut as well as livestock.
Meanwhile, President Marcos also welcomed the PSAC’s recommendation on replanting coconut trees by distributing more seedlings, allocating around Php1.2 billion and training farmers in intercropping to increase their productivity.
The chief executive likewise recognized the proposal of the PSAC to use common salt as fertilizer for coconuts as it would improve the quality and quantity of the expected yield. (PND)
