THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has strengthened partnership with Pampanga for advance data-driven agriculture activities following discussions on project planning and the possible adoption of the province’s integrated agricultural data system.
During a visit in the province, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led DA officials in reviewing proposed agricultural interventions, including small-scale rice complexes, irrigation facilities, planting initiatives in government-owned lands, and farm-to-market roads, with emphasis on using data to guide project prioritization and implementation.
Highlighting the visit was a benchmarking of Pampanga’s provincial agricultural data platform in its Command and Control Center.
The system consolidates farmer profiles from local government units (LGUs) and integrates geographical information system mapping of farmlands for more accurate planning, monitoring, and reporting, especially during disasters.
Laurel said the platform demonstrates how data can improve service delivery to farmers, noting that the DA is studying its possible replication and a formal data-sharing agreement once the system is fully developed.
“We are impressed with what Pampanga has developed. This is something the DA can learn from as we work to improve how we plan and deliver services to our farmers,” he added.
The data system was designed to expedite the distribution of assistance during floods and other calamities, which frequently affect the agriculture sector in Pampanga.
The DA also cited the province’s broader use of real-time monitoring tools, including river and lahar monitoring systems, hydrometeorological stations, rain gauges, automated weather stations, and provincewide CCTV coverage, which support evidence-based decision-making.
Currently, more than 44,000 farmers in the province are registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture that provides a key database for targeting agricultural support and interventions.
The initiative is expected to strengthen inter-agency coordination, improve disaster response, and enhance the overall delivery of agricultural services through data-driven governance.
