EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - National Agricultural and Fishery Council ...

5. Other Infrastructure and Post-harvest Facilities (Sections 46-59)
The general recommendations:
(a) Finalize an integrated agriculture and fishery infrastructure plan.
The plan will serve as the blue print in identifying priority post-harvest
facilities, farm-to-market roads, research and technology infrastructure,
and other implementing mechanism based on effective organizing
frameworks by the DA-concerned agencies in partnership with LGUs
during the period of AFMA extension. The DA should also coordinate with
the officials of DAR and DENR to determine the convergence of FMRs
and other related infrastructure.
(b) Review and finalize the guidelines for the prioritization of
government resources for the other infrastructure and post-harvest
facilities. DA-FOS, BPRE and DA-PDS have initially prepared the
guidelines for prioritization of government resources for the other
infrastructure and post-harvest facilities. In view of the extension of
AFMA, DA-OSEC and concerned agencies must review the said
guidelines to determine whether these are still relevant given the
changing needs of the agriculture and fisheries sector, and if not
formulate a more appropriate guidelines/criteria.
(c) Designate a Department Assistant Secretary to take charge of agrifisheries
infrastructure. Rule 46.2 of AFMA states that the DA
Secretary should designate a DA Assistant Secretary to take charge of
the DA’s program of infrastructure support for agriculture and fisheries
modernization. At present, there is no DA Assistant Secretary assigned
to assume such function.
(d) Institutionalize the agricultural engineering groups of DA and LGUs.
The agricultural engineering groups of DA and LGUs which have been
existing for so long should be mainstreamed in the DA structure and
LGUs to effectively and efficiently provide the necessary technical and
engineering support in the implementation of agri-fishery infrastructure
and mechanization projects under AFMA as well as in the provision of the
needed assistance by farmers concerning the operation and
maintenance of their post-harvest facilities and machinery projects.
(e) Enforce and continue developing the Philippine agricultural
engineering standards. Although the DA has already adopted five
volumes of the Philippine agricultural engineering standards, these
should be fully enforced as part of the implementation of agri-fisheries
infrastructure, mechanization and post-harvest facilities projects.
Likewise, other standards particularly on the machineries and agricultural
facilities for other agricultural and fishery commodities which are not yet
existing should also be developed. This will address the issues and
problems on low quality, substandard and underutilization of post-harvest
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