The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying efforts to tap private-sector capital for critical farm infrastructure, signaling a stronger push to modernize the country’s agriculture sector through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. met with officials of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center on June 30 to discuss a pipeline of priority projects aimed at improving farm productivity, strengthening food security and reducing post-harvest losses.
Among the projects identified for possible PPP implementation are farm-to-market roads, mega food hubs, agri-fish ports, hatchery centers, agricultural mechanization and biosafety facilities, cold storage facilities, as well as solar-powered ice plants and irrigation systems.
The DA also expressed interest in tapping the PPP Center’s Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF), a revolving fund that finances project preparation and transaction advisory services to help government agencies develop bankable PPP projects and attract private investors.
The meeting comes as the government seeks to accelerate infrastructure investments without relying solely on public funds, particularly in agriculture, where inadequate logistics, storage and irrigation continue to constrain productivity, increase post-harvest losses and raise food costs.
“We are bringing in the private sector to accelerate investments that will modernize agriculture, strengthen food security, and create lasting value for our farmers,” Tiu Laurel said.
Agriculture Undersecretary Arrey A. Perez said closer collaboration between government and the private sector will be crucial to moving projects from planning to implementation.
“Partnership is the key to delivering these projects faster. By working closely with the PPP Center and private investors, we can build the infrastructure our farmers need and make agriculture a stronger engine of economic growth,” Perez said.
PPP Center Executive Director Rizza Blanco-Latorre and Deputy Executive Director Eleazar E. Ricote met with Tiu Laurel and Perez to discuss the proposed projects and areas for collaboration.
Officials also explored the DA’s use of the PDMF to accelerate project development and improve investment readiness. Based on the PPP Center’s project dashboard, agriculture PPP projects under development are valued at P33.25 billion, while projects already under implementation amount to P4.7 billion.
The discussions underscore the government’s growing reliance on PPPs to close long-standing infrastructure gaps in agriculture, where better logistics, mechanization and post-harvest facilities are increasingly viewed as essential to boosting farm productivity, lowering supply chain costs and strengthening the country’s long-term food security.
