THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is partnering with Megawide Construction Corp. to develop infrastructure projects aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, boosting farmers’ income, and strengthening the country’s food security.
Under the agreement signed Monday, Megawide will support the DA in establishing food terminals and processing facilities to improve storage, distribution, and logistics across agricultural value chains. It will also help in the rollout of agro-solar farming systems that integrate crop production with renewable energy generation.
The DA expects the partnership to result in a 30-50 percent reduction in post-harvest losses that affect farmers’ incomes and the sector’s competitiveness in domestic and global markets.
The deal will likewise promote clustered farming that would allow smallholder farmers to pool resources and access technology, enabling them to scale up their operations.
“The initiative is part of a wider strategy to reposition farmers as agri-entrepreneurs and integrate agriculture with energy, logistics, and industrial systems. It also supports efforts to develop branded, high-value agricultural products for broader market access,” the DA said.
The agency has also signed agreements with the National Power Corp. and the Asian Pyrochem Technologies for Project Sustainable Development Agroforestry Farming Enterprise (SAFE).
The agroforestry project will focus on cacao, coffee, bamboo, and abaca. It will be implemented in critical watershed areas, and also integrate carbon financing, nature-based solutions, and business-to-business barter systems to improve farmers’ access to inputs and markets.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the agreements are “a realization of the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a modern and sustainable farm sector for the country’s food security and farmers’ prosperity.”
The agreements align with Republic Act 7900, or the High-Value Crops Development Act of 1995, and are part of government’s efforts to modernize the high-value crops sector through infrastructure-led and market-driven interventions, farm-to-wholesale food markets, and protected farming in agro-solar environments.