Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. is pushing for the rebuilding of the Department of Agriculture's (DA) pool of extension workers to improve the collection of on-the-ground farm data.
This move aims to enhance the DA's responsiveness to issues confronting farmers and fisherfolk by providing more accurate and timely data.
Deploying DA personnel would also improve forecasting and shorten response times when constituents report any issues.
The DA has strengthened its partnership with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) by employing satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to improve agricultural data collection.
According to PSA officials, discussions with the DA include plans to strengthen the capacity of local government units and DA-attached agencies to improve the quality of agricultural data and to validate satellite-generated information through on-the-ground verification.
Agriculture and fisheries remain key drivers of economic growth, employment, and food security, underscoring the importance of reliable and accurate statistics in supporting sound policymaking.
Improved data sharing would allow policymakers to make more accurate decisions and legislation on agricultural production, logistics, and food security, ensuring that government resources are directed where they are needed most.
The goal is to use accurate and timely data to ensure that food security objectives are met, identifying areas where production is strong, weak, and where government intervention is needed.
