State Dining Room, Malacañan Palace
May 31, 2023
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. presided over a meeting with the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM) at the State Dining Room in Malacañan Palace.
Comprised of seed growers, farmers, palay traders, consumers, rice millers, retailers, wholesalers and importers, PRISM is a forum to consolidate information and various points of views from the different sectors of the rice industry value chain, working together with the government in creating a stable rice industry to ensure food security and a vibrant economy for the Filipino people.
PRISM Founder and Lead Convenor Rowena Sadicon presented a comprehensive approach of the country’s rice industry towards sustainable food security for Filipinos, notably the nine (9) challenges that the stakeholders are currently facing and the corresponding support it needs.
Responding to the enumerated challenges, President Marcos Jr. said that to address the high cost of rice production and limited access to market, the first step is geo mapping of areas into farm clusters, especially those with no farmer cooperatives/associations, and the eventual development of farmer leaders that can lead these. Government will provide training and assistance for about a year on the latest rice production technology to the newly organized cooperatives/associations once rice cluster farming is achieved.
The President cited government preparations on the impending El Niño phenomenon in the coming months, particularly on irrigation system, a five-year plan developed by the Administration that will achieve a 97.4 percent rice self-sufficiency for the country, and a digital application that is currently being developed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) that will provide access to real-time data and other information necessary for agricultural production.
Apart from government, the Chief Executive encouraged PRISM to establish partnerships with the private sector to aid in farming development and gave his assurance that he will hold regular meetings and/or consultations with them on a quarterly basis for a more direct communication.
PRISM endeavors to actively participate in developing a strong and stable rice industry to support President Marcos Jr.’s goal of achieving long-term food security for the Philippines.
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