The Department of Agriculture‘s (DA) new National Farmers and Fishermen Database (NFFD) is long overdue and should help the government improve its efforts to help the sector, according to House Committee on Agriculture and Food chair and ANAC-IP Rep. Jose T. Panganiban, Jr., who on Wednesday lauded the DA’s newest “hi-tech” initiative.
“Dapat dati pa natin ginawa ito. This will help us identify those in the sector that really need the help of the government,” said Panganiban.
In a recent Facebook post, Agriculture Sec. Manny Piñol said the NFFD would store information on all farmers and fisherfolk in the country, including the geo-tagged location of their farms and houses. The database, he said, would also contain information on the types of aid they have received from the government.
“More of our farmers and fisherfolk who do not know the services they can get from the government will be enticed to find out how they can benefit.”
Panganiban said the database would help streamline government intervention to the agriculture sector.
The process of seeking credit, for instance, could be made more accessible if all pertinent data were available to both government and beneficiaries, according to Panganiban.
“Access to loans, insurance, and other government aid will be easier, so maybe more of our farmers and fisherfolk who do not know the services they can get from the government will be enticed to find out how they can benefit,” the legislator explained.
The solon also stressed that the DA should be bolder in exploring the use of information technology to serve farmers and fisherfolk.
“The DA should aim for a scenario where technology is at the core of operations and not merely an afterthought.”
“Siguro dapat na rin silang mag-tap ng available technology para iyong nangangailangan ng tulong sa pamahalaan hindi na kailangan umalis sa area nila,” said the solon.
“For example, microfinance through mobile phones is a growing trend, and the DA should seriously consider using this,” Panganiban added.
Since the database also includes geo-tagged locations, the lawmaker also urged the DA to introduce the images from the country’s microsatellites, as well as materials from the government’s research facilities, to enhance agricultural knowledge.
“Science and technology should be used aggressively if the agricultural sector is to improve, and the DA should aim for a scenario where technology is at the core of operations and not merely an afterthought,” he said.
