The Dream Never Dies! Digitalizing Agriculture Weeds Out ‘Fake Farmers’

Imagine Philippine Agriculture where farmers and fishermen carry biometric cards which contain all information about them and which they could use to avail of easy access credit and other government interventions without hassle.
In emergency and urgent situation, farmers and fishermen could use their Biometric IDs to avail of a quick loan of no more than P50,000 under the Production Loan Easy Access Program (PLEA).
This was my vision as Secretary of Agriculture and in March 2019, the Digitalization Program for farmers and fishermen designed to collect accurate data which would have revolutionized Philippine Agriculture was launched.
The Pilot Area was my hometown of Mlang, Cotabato for the simple reason that I had the support of the Local Government Officials making the conduct of the digitalization program easy.
The program involved the validation of “real farmers and fishermen” using drones and digital technology to ensure that government interventions do not fall into the “wrong hands” and precise information on food production could be generated.
The format employed aerial mapping and geo-tagging technology to ensure that the location of the farms and houses of the farmers and fishermen are validated.
This was also aimed at correcting a major flaw in the delivery of government interventions which were marked by irregularities with seeds, fertilisers and machinery going to the wrong beneficiaries.
The delivery of interventions in the past were also marred by political interference leading some farmers to complain that only those who are close to the political powers received help.
With the implementation of the Farmers Database which uses Digital Technology through Aerial Mapping and Geo-Tagging, the interventions will be delivered directly to the real beneficiaries.
Three months after the program was launched, however, following my public disagreements with the Economic Managers led by then Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez over the Rice Tariffication Law, I resigned as Agriculture Secretary and moved to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
Under a new Secretary, the program was abandoned.
While I pursued it as MnDA Chairman in the provinces of Misamis Oriental and Surigao del Sur, lack of funds prevented the program from coming to full fruition as a National Program.
The Dream Never Dies.
In my private capacity now as a Food Security and Agriculture Advocate, I will introduce this program to Local Government Units which would engage my team’s expertise in crafting a Food Security Master Plan.
Negros Oriental will be the first province in the Visayas which would be presented this program for localized application.
This happens fourth week of September when I and my team will meet with Governor Manuel Sagarbarria and the mayors of the province.
I may have failed to actualize this vision Nationally but I will continue presenting this to LGUs who would care to listen and realize the importance of Digitalizing Agriculture.
One small step at a time.
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!