Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has partnered with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) to empower agricultural cooperatives in the Philippines. The three government agencies signed a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) on Wednesday, which will provide a new inter-agency framework to enhance support across all levels of governance for farmers and fishers nationwide.

According to Philippines News Agency, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized that this memorandum is a concrete whole-of-government commitment aimed at empowering farmers and fisherfolk through stronger and more sustainable cooperatives. The framework aims to improve alignment among national agencies, local government units (LGUs), and development partners to advance food security, enterprise development, livelihood generation, and inclusive rural transformation.

The initiative seeks to build a more responsive and efficient support system that contributes meaningfully to food security and national development by aligning efforts of national agencies and local governments. Coordination among concerned agencies will also be strengthened, alongside the utilization of unified and data-driven systems for cooperative development, monitoring, and support services.

Additionally, the framework aims to reduce duplication and overlaps of government interventions, creating a more efficient and inclusive system that enables cooperatives to grow, innovate, and compete in domestic and international markets. LGUs are expected to actively engage in cooperative development by integrating these efforts into their municipal and provincial plans and supporting monitoring and validation efforts.

Overall, this collaborative effort seeks to enable farmers and fishers to consolidate resources, improve productivity, expand market access, and build resilient and sustainable community-based enterprises nationwide.