Screenshot of the post-APRC virtual meeting between FAO and DA held on 17 September.

FAO Assistant Director-General and Asia-Pacific Regional Representative Kim Jongjin and FAO Representative ad interim in the Philippines Ms Xiangjun Yao virtually met with the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar on 17 September to thank him for his support to the recently concluded 35th FAO Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (#APRC35) as well as to discuss continued partnership between the two agencies in the Philippines.
Also in the virtual meeting were Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) Ms Tamara Palis-Duran and FAO Philippines Programme Assistant Ms Jasmine Magtibay.

The DA is FAO's main government partner in the country in implementing initiatives in the agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors to address poverty and food insecurity.

On behalf of FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, Kim and Yao conveyed their appreciation to Secretary Dar for his very kind support of being the Vice Chair at the latest APRC. They said that the successful conduct of the 35th APRC is mainly attributed to the active participation and valuable contributions of the Members, including the delegation from Philippines, led by Dar, who also served as the conference’s vice chair. This, despite the conference being held in virtual mode – a first for FAO – due to the ongoing pandemic.

Apart from thanking the Secretary for his role and support of the conference, Ms Yao also apprised Dar of FAO’s ongoing and pipeline projects in the Philippines, in all of which the DA is a key partner. She especially cited FAO’s Rapid Remote Assessment on the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Systems, conducted with IFAD, that helped provide baseline information to inform DA’s COVID-19-related response, recovery, and rebound plans and programmes for agriculture in the country.

The ADG also extended an invitation to Dar for the Philippines to join FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative as a supporting country. He said that with the country’s booming economy and successful agriculture sector, the Philippines is well-placed to offer technical expertise and successful experiences to other countries in the region through HIHI and South-South Cooperation.

Ms Yao concluded by assuring the Secretary of FAO’s continued commitment to supporting the government in advancing the Philippine agriculture sector, through the DA, especially with respect to achieving food security and climate resilience.

Secretary Dar reciprocated the gesture by also thanking FAO for the opportunity to contribute to the success of the APRC, particularly in his role as Vice Chair, as well as reiterated the DA’s assurance of continued and enhanced partnership in implementing FAO initiatives in the country.

“Rest assured that the Department of Agriculture, at various levels, will be working strongly to ensure a high level of food security in the country working through various means to rebound from this pandemic,” added Dar.

Citing the agriculture sector’s growth of 1.6% despite the ongoing pandemic – the only sector to post such positive performance during the crisis – Dar said, “if properly nurtured and invested in, and with all the partners like FAO helping, we can really unleash the potential of the Philippine agriculture to greater heights.”

“We will always be your strong partner moving the programs and projects of FAO not only in the Philippines but the whole of Asia Pacific,” the Secretary concluded.