The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) officially partnered on Thursday to improve the performance of the Philippine fisheries sector.
Under the new partnership, formalized through a memorandum of understanding, USAID and the DA’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will work together to support the conservation and rehabilitation of habitats for fishery resources; institute reforms to address overfishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; and incentivize conservation through private-sector engagement.
“Our two countries share an enduring partnership in the areas of sustainable fisheries and marine biodiversity conservation. I am proud to say that our relationship grows stronger over time as we learn from each other and find more ways to collaborate around our shared goals,” said US Embassy ad interim Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava during the signing.
The MOU will bolster collaboration on the Philippines’ Fisheries Management Areas and further align USAID programming with the government’s priorities for fisheries management and conservation, including the department’s “One DA” approach to directly benefit resource-poor farmers and fishers.
The US Embassy in Manila said the MOU will be implemented under the five-year Development Objective Grant Agreement for Enhanced Ecosystem and Community Resilience, which was signed between USAID and the National Economic and Development Authority on Feb. 3, 2021.
For the past six decades, USAID has been collaborating with the Philippine government, private sector, and local organizations, investing more than PHP259 billion toward shared development goals since 1961.
Source: Philippines News Agency
