PAMPANGA - The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Central Luzon held its Mid-Year Assessment and Second-Semester Planning Workshop on August 26–27, 2026, in Olongapo City, Zambales, to advance data-driven agricultural strategies and align regional and provincial targets for the remainder of the year. The workshop, led by the I-PLAN component, focused on refining investment plans and ensuring that the region's agriculture and fisheries sector remains on track to meet its development goals, particularly as the PRDP Scale-Up continues to roll out with a substantial PHP 1.9 billion investment portfolio for rural infrastructure and enterprise projects.
Key Approvals and Upcoming Value Chain Analyses
A major achievement highlighted during the workshop was the securing of No Objection Letter 1 (NOL1) on August 12 for the squash value chain, which focuses on Climate Resilient Agro-Industry for Nueva Ecija squash. This approval marks a critical step forward, allowing the project to proceed with implementation plans that will strengthen the resilience and productivity of squash farmers in the province. To further expand the region's agricultural portfolio, the DA-PRDP is also preparing for upcoming Investment Value Chain Analyses for onion, coconut, and carabao products. These analyses aim to identify and fix bottlenecks in logistics, processing, and marketing, ensuring that these key commodities are positioned for sustainable growth and competitiveness in both local and regional markets. This aligns with the PRDP's broader strategy of using science-based tools to evaluate investment priorities and address constraints across the value chain.
RAFIP and Strengthening Stakeholder Collaboration
The workshop also reviewed the progress of the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Investment Portfolio (RAFIP), which was launched during the Regional Investment Forum in April 2026. The RAFIP serves as a key document that coordinates stakeholder resources for climate-resilient farming, listing interventions with the potential for upscaling through clustering and consolidation based on regional analysis. The forum brought together government agencies, LGUs, financial institutions, and the private sector to strengthen collaboration and align investments. Ongoing coordination between the DA-PRDP Central Luzon and its partners, including LGUs and farmer cooperatives, is seen as vital to ensuring that approved subprojects, such as the PHP 89-million carabao dairy processing facility and the PHP 222-million onion cold storage project in Nueva Ecija, are implemented effectively. These efforts are expected to deliver lasting benefits to farming and fishing communities across the region.
