DA interventions to focus on poor towns

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is recalibrating its targeted interventions to prioritize municipalities with high poverty incidence, geographically isolated areas, and small island communities.

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This was said by DA Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations Asis Perez during the opening of the three-day Municipal Agri-Fishery Investment Forum in Cebu City.

According to the DA, the initiative seeks to synchronize the priorities of local government units with national agricultural programs to maximize their impact on food production, nutrition, and rural livelihoods.

“We identified municipalities with relatively high poverty incidence, many at around 25%, and some even reaching 60%,” Perez said, adding that these are usually the same areas where our farmers and fisherfolk are located.

The program focuses on remote and underserved areas that have strong potential for agricultural and fisheries growth. Perez said this marks a shift away from broad, generic programs toward more precise government investments.

The DA is implementing this strategy alongside its highest budget allocation to date, reflecting the current administration’s renewed focus on agriculture after years of underinvestment.