THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing at least P1 billion in investments for the agriculture sector through the Hand-in-Hand National Investment Forum, said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
On Monday, the DA held a ceremonial signing with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to launch the first Hand-in-Hand National Investment Forum in the Philippines.
This forum is a global FAO platform connecting agricultural projects with financing and technical assistance. The DA said the forum was organized to channel private capital into farming, fisheries and rural infrastructure projects, noting that while these areas have significant growth potential, projects within them are often underfinanced.
Tiu Laurel said their pitch in the forum will focus on cacao, mango, seaweed and coffee, among others.
“We see the potential for these in the international market and the local market, and we want to grab the opportunity to export more,” said Tiu Laurel.
Tiu Laurel said the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum would open the country to over 80 markets that also need specific agriculture products. He has attended the forum in Rome for the past two years.
The agriculture sector added that the FAO would provide technical and marketing support, noting its extensive global reach. Aside from this, he said the FAO will offer best practices for each commodity and provide some funding support.
Tiu Laurel also said that the forum is intended to “bridge the gap between global capital and local stakeholders,” as that gap has long constrained the sector.
The DA has recognized that public funds alone cannot transform rural economies, emphasizing the necessity of private-sector participation. It added that the agriculture sector has struggled to acquire large-scale investment despite employing millions of Filipinos, resulting in fragmented supply chains, infrastructure bottlenecks and climate vulnerability.
The DA said hosting the forum in the country signals its efforts to turn international interest into concrete investments, noting this would bring together private investors and development institutions to push for rural growth.
“The sector should no longer be viewed merely as a development challenge but as a viable, bankable investment option,” said the DA.
“By promoting the industry as a ‘highly bankable sector,’ the Department of Agriculture is signaling a stronger push toward investment-led modernization,” it added.
