'Gov't must hike, diversify agri budget'

The government must increase and diversify its investment in agriculture to boost food production and improve the country's food security amid local and global production woes, according to the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc.

- By JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

PCAFI president Danilo Fausto said the allotted budget by the government for the agriculture sector remains "low" considering the prevalence of undernourishment and poverty incidence nationwide.

Fausto pointed out that the combined budget of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Reform amounted to just P221.7 billion, which is only 3.8 percent of the P5.768-trillion budget this year.

Furthermore, he said that the budget for agriculture would be at least P10 billion lower next year at P211.3 billion despite the 10-percent increase in the proposed 2025 state budget set at P6.35 trillion.