Press Release
March 24, 2009

Zubiri strengthens labor and livelihood potentials
of agriculture, fisheries sectors

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri proposed the establishment of accreditation and classification of agricultural and fishery machinery suppliers and manufacturers.

The proposed Senate Bill No. 3119 or an "Act Promoting and Developing the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Development in the Country" was introduced by Zubiri in a move to improve the labor and livelihood generating potentials of the Philippine agriculture and fisheries sectors.

"To fully harness the potentials of the country's agricultural and fisheries products and by-products processing, there has to be appropriate and efficient agricultural and fisheries machineries for on-farm and off-farm operations that will cover all types of crops, livestock and fisheries. With the right tools, we can be at par with our neighbours. Most important, this law will boost farmers' and fishermen's earnings."

"Unfortunately the present level of agricultural and fisheries mechanization in the Philippines is quite dismal when benchmarked with its Asian neighbors such as Korea," he said.

The latest data from the National Statistical Coordination Board shows just a very minimal 1.1 per cent increase in crop production from 2006 to 2007 at 77.40 million metric tons and 78.21 million metric tons valued at P456.75 Billion and P510.45 B, respectively. For fisheries the growth rates for 2006 and 2007 were 6.9% at 4.4 million metric tons and 4.71 m..mt. with value of P 163.37 B and P180.55 B or 10.5 % growth. For livestock, growth was also at a very low 2.5% only with 2.34 mmt in 2006 and 2.35 mmt in 2007 worth P 155.37 and P163.08, respectively, representing 5% annual growth only.

The low level of mechanization is highly attributed to the various technical and socio-economic constraints due to lack of investment in research and development, inadequate training and extension, poor manufacturing technology and lack of credit and low farming income, he added.

The enactment of SB No. 3119 also known as AFMech law would allow the local manufacture and fabrication of agricultural engines and equipment; development and utilization of renewable energy resources like biofuels; training of farmers, fishermen, manufacturers, extension workers, agricultural engineers, technicians and operators engaged in the agriculture and fisheries, among others, under the National Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization RDE Agenda.

"This measure will help increase the income of farming and fishing communities. We have 10.77 million farmers and 1.4 million fishermen out of 33.67 million Filipinos employed in various occupations. They will be the immediate beneficiaries of this law. And, food security will naturally just follow. Rising supply of raw materials for manufacturers will be the bonus for the economy as a whole."

It will likewise provide the creation of Agricultural and Fishery Machinery Pools and Service Centers Strategic Agricultural and Fishery Development Zones (SAFDZs) at least one in each municipality and/or barangay. Also, it will help strengthen the Agricultural and Fisheries Machinery Information Network of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). It will serve as a network of information system and data bank on agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment, as well as facility for the on-line registration of agricultural and fishery machinery.

The existing Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Committee (AFMeC) under the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) will be strengthened and reorganized into Agricultural and Fishery Mechanization and Infrastructure Committee (AFMIC) that would act as an advisory body. It will be the lead agency to oversee the success of the programs and activities of the DA concerning agricultural mechanization and infrastructure.

The proposed AFMech law will rectify these problems including the inadequacy of after sales service, supply of substandard agricultural and fishery machinery particularly in the government procurement program and the sporadic, fragmented and disorganized implementation of agricultural and fishery mechanization.

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