Manila, Us-asean Business Council ink MOU to fortify agri cooperation
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) and the United States-asean Business Council (USABC) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on partnerships to strengthen agricultural cooperation in the Philippines.
The MOU was signed by Agricultural Secretary William D. Dar and USABC Chairman, President and CEO Alex Feldman during a virtual meeting between the DA and 25 companies of the USABC on September 3 (Manila time).
According to to Dr. Josyline C. Javelosa, Philippine Agriculture Attaché in the US, the MOU aims to determine agricultural priorities in the Philippines in which the participants share mutual interests and will cooperate to create an environment that fosters collaboration and regular communication between the member companies of the Council’s Food and Agriculture Committee and the Department of Agriculture.
These priorities include collaboration to:
Increase two-way agricultural trade, encouraging agricultural investment and enabling inclusive growth between the Philippines and the US;
Enhance public informationsharing of policies, regulations and potential investment opportunities in both countries regarding agricultural trade and investment, including industry development programs, research and development programs, science-based decision making, international approaches to transparency, standards-setting, and agriculture regulations and policies;
Enhance the Philippines-us agricultural economic relationship and promote the role of international trade and foreign investment in improving food security and strengthening the role of agricultural sector as an engine of growth in the broader economy; and
Leverage the digital transformation and support the promulgation of new technologies supporting agriculture, including but not limited to ICT, data analysis, biotechnologies, farm or agriculture mechanization, and other climate smart technologies to address food security and climate change simultaneously.
A total of 16 member food and agriculture companies identified in the MOU as USABC participants are Abbott, Archer Daniel’s Midland, Bayer, Cargill, Coca-cola, Corteva Agriscience, Elanco Animal Health, Herbalife Nutrition, John Deere, MSD Animal Health, Nestlé Purina, Pepsico, Reckitt Benckiser, Scoular, Tyson, and Yum! Brands.
Identified cooperation areas are on livestock production and animal health, agricultural trading and investment, plant science, agricultural technology and digital agriculture, food safety, inclusive business and sustainability.
During the meeting, Dar encouraged the USABC member economies to invest in Philippine agriculture. He also invited the American companies to support acceleration of the Philippines’s digital transformation to help generate new revenue streams and improve the livelihoods of rural communities.
The DA said the implementation of the MOU will be through a Joint Working Group (JWG) to be co-led by a DA Representative and the chairperson of the USABC’S Food and Agriculture Committee. Dar has designated Agriclture Undersecretary Rodolfo Vicerra to be the DA representative to co-lead this JWG with the representative of Elanco.