Program Boosts Food Security, Income

..ILOILO CITY (PIA) - The implementation of a nationwide rural development program "Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP)," which will cover 80 provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao got the endorsement of the Regional Development Council (RDC) 6 in its recent meeting. The program, which was presented to the RDC as Economic Resolution No. 9 by the Economic Development Committee aims to improve food security, increase incomes and enhance climate resiliency of rural folk through four components. These components are 1) I-PLAN or investments in agri/fishery modernization and planning at local and national levels; 2) I-BUILD or intensified infrastructure and logistics development; 3) I-REAP or investments in rural enterprises and agri/fishery productivity; and 4) I-SUPPORT or PDRP implementation support services. Department of Agriculture 6 Director Larry Nacionales, who presented the project overview to support the resolution, said the PRDP is a six-year national government platform for an inclusive, value-chain oriented and climate resilient agriculture and fisheries sector. Nacionales said the proposed PRDP is a replication of the World Bank-funded Mindanao Rural Development Program Phase 2, which has successfully partnered with local government units in establishing needed rural infrastructure and community livelihood projects targeting farming and fishing communities. Funding for the project is expected to cost P27.5 billion. Seventy-five percent of which will be funded by a World Bank loan, 13 percent from Government of the Philippines (GOP)-National Government counterpart, 11 percent GOP-Local Government counterpart and 1 percent Global Environment Facility spread out over a six-year period, starting August 2013. In the regions, the Regional Program Advisory Board will oversee the project with the DA regional executive director as chairperson, president of the League of Provinces as co-chairperson; and chairperson of the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council, representative of the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples and regional directors of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry and BLGF as members. In the same resolution, RDC also moved for the inclusion of the Department of Science and Technology as member of the Regional Program Advisory Board. ..