He noted how the government, during these difficult times, was finally focusing on programs to achieve food security, which he considers a major issue that has been neglected for years. Villegas referred to agriculture as one of the “heroes of the year” in 2020, when the economy slumped by 9.5 percent and agriculture growth was a measly 0.2 percent. “This early I would like to believe that even with the Covid-19 pandemic and African swine fever, we can go for a positive 2.5-percent growth,” Dar said. He noted how “plantitos and plantitas” can be key players in helping achieve food security in the country. A subsidy is “good for poverty alleviation but that’s not good for food security.

Source: Manila Times March 25, 2021 16:30 UTC