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Government

DA BOOSTS EFFORTS TO PRESERVE IFUGAO RICE TERRACES

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying efforts to preserve the iconic Ifugao Rice Terraces as mounting climate pressures, aging infrastructure, and changing farm economics threaten one of the country’s most important agricultural heritage landscapes. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. visited Banaue to assess the condition of the rice terraces, inspect critical agricultural infrastructure, […]

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Government

DA: PH, DENMARK SIGN OFFSHORE FISHING AGREEMENT

The Philippines and Denmark have launched a pilot project aimed at modernizing the country’s offshore fishing industry, introducing advanced Danish midwater trawl technology to improve fish production, strengthen scientific fisheries management, and promote sustainable harvesting practices. The Partnership Agreement, signed by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Danish […]

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Government

DA: PH EYES AGRI TRADE EXPANSION WITH EGYPT

The Philippines and Egypt are stepping up efforts to expand agricultural trade and investment cooperation, with a proposed meeting between their agriculture ministers in late July expected to advance discussions on fertilizer supply, market access, and new export opportunities. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. welcomed the planned talks, saying both countries have an opportunity […]

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Government

DA STEPS UP EFFORTS TO EXPAND PH UBE INDUSTRY

The Philippine government is stepping up efforts to expand the country’s ube industry, distributing more than 60,000 purple yam planting materials to farmers in Leyte and Bohol as demand for the iconic crop continues to grow in both domestic and international markets. The initiative, led by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) in partnership with […]

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Government

DA ORDERS CHECK OF GENSAN PORT AFTER QUAKE

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered a more comprehensive structural assessment of the PFDA-General Santos Fish Port Complex following a powerful earthquake that forced the temporary closure of several sections of one of the country’s most critical fisheries facilities. The directive follows an initial post-earthquake assessment conducted recently, which identified conditions warranting the temporary […]

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Government

DA TO MASS PRODUCE FUNGUS TO FIGHT SUGAR PEST

The Department of Agriculture is stepping up its battle against the destructive red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), ordering the mass production of a naturally occurring fungus that can suppress the pest before it inflicts more serious damage on the country’s sugar industry. Speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, Agriculture Secretary […]

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Government

DA PUSHES FOR DEV’T OF LOCAL LIVESTOCK VACCINES

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has launched a major effort to develop locally produced animal vaccines, betting on homegrown science to protect the livestock industry from devastating disease outbreaks and strengthen the country’s food security. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the signing of an agreement establishing the Animal Vaccine Development Program (AVDP), a […]

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Government

DA EYES RESTORATION OF PH HOG POPULATION

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying efforts to rebuild the country’s hog population while maintaining stable pork supplies and prices, underscoring the delicate balancing act between industry recovery and food security amid the lingering threat of African Swine Fever (ASF). The Philippines has yet to rebuild its hog population that was estimated around 13 […]

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Government

DA BATS FOR UNIFIED ACTION TO SUSTAIN LAGUNA LAKE

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is advocating a whole-of-government approach to ensure Laguna Lake remains productive for fisherfolk and fishpen operators, sustainable as a critical water source for Metro Manila, reliable for food security, and effective as part of the region’s flood control system. After a series of consultations with fisherfolk and aquaculture operators around […]

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Government

PH-JAPAN AGREE TO EXPAND FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP

The Philippines and Japan have broadened their agricultural partnership to include fisheries, a move expected to accelerate technology transfer, strengthen food security, and support the modernization of two sectors critical to millions of livelihoods. The enhanced Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC), signed during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Japan, upgrades a 2023 agriculture agreement […]