The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) reinforced its commitment to national progress by sponsoring a simultaneous session at the 62nd Annual Meeting and Conference of the Philippine Economic Society (PES). The event, held on November 7-8, 2024, at Novotel Manila, brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss ways to strengthen the economy, promote inclusion, and support local development.
Open forum of the PCAARRD-sponsored simultaneous session at the 62nd Annual Meeting and Conference of the Philippine Economic Society (PES). (Image credit: Philippine Economic Society: SERD, DOST-PCAARRD)
The conference theme, "Traversing Innovative Pathways for Economic Resilience, Inclusion, and Localization in the Philippines," focused on the need to align new ideas with development plans to ensure balanced growth. Giving Local Government Units (LGUs) more power and resources is crucial for helping them create solutions that fit their communities and support growth and resilience.
The DOST-PCAARRD session, "Empowering Communities through Innovative Solutions and Inclusive Growth and Resilience Strategies in the Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources (AANR) Sector," encapsulated these aspirations. It discussed strategies that address local needs while supporting industrial policies. These efforts aim to strengthen local governance and build economic resilience, leading to progress for communities across the country. Monica B. Castillo, Senior Science Research Specialist of PCAARRD's Socio-Economics Research Division (SERD), moderated the session.
The DOST-PCAARRD simultaneous session featured a series of expert presentations and discussions on various critical topics, offering valuable insights into strategies for sustainable development. One of the key topics was Natural Capital Accounting and PENCAS: Can LGUs Comply? presented by Lea May D.R. Aguila from UP Los Baños. The discussion focused on a PCAARRD-supported initiative demonstrating how Local Government Units (LGUs) can create natural capital accounts despite varying levels of preparedness. It highlighted the importance of tailored capacity-building programs, mentoring, and calibrated tools to help ensure compliance with the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act directives.
Another presentation, Development of Sustainable and Inclusive Value Chains for Selected Value Chains in Laguna, by Dr. Melodee Marciana E. De Castro, explored the development of value chains for Laguna's bitter gourd, rice, and tilapia. The discussion addressed challenges such as high input costs and environmental risks, offering solutions through S&T innovations, stakeholder collaboration, and inclusive business models that aim to enhance productivity and profitability.
In The Promise and Potential Pitfalls in Promoting Co-production for Sustainable Nature-Based Livelihoods (CP4SL), Dr. Jennifer Marie S. Amparo shared insights from the CP4SL Project, highlighting co-production approaches as essential for fostering sustainable community livelihoods. She outlined the facilitating and hindering factors for stakeholder engagement and offered policy recommendations for implementing co-production in nature-based initiatives.
Dr. Maria Angeles O. Catelo's presentation, "Impact Assessment of Floods and Droughts in Selected Agricultural Municipalities in Laguna: A Transdisciplinary Approach," focused on the socio-economic effects of floods and droughts on farming communities. The presentation emphasized the need for gender-sensitive infrastructure, integrated disaster response strategies, and enhanced monitoring systems to improve agricultural resilience.
Lastly, Dr. Rex Victor O. Cruz presented Watershed-Based Integrated Land Use Planning (WILUP), which emphasized using watersheds as planning units to integrate land use and development across LGUs and sectors. His presentation drew from experiences in La Union and showcased how the WILUP framework promotes inclusive growth and addresses various planning challenges.
The PES Annual Meeting and Conference brought together policymakers, LGU officials, industry leaders, academics, and development practitioners to discuss empowering local governance, fostering public-private partnerships, and leveraging industrial policies for economic growth and resilience. Through the event, DOST-PCAARRD has reinforced its commitment to community empowerment and sustainable development, highlighting the need for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovative solutions to build a resilient, inclusive, and localized economy.
DOST-PCAARRD has been providing augmentation funds to qualified professional/scientific and academic organizations that pursue activities in support of the Council’s advocacies, banner programs, and goals.