The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today hosted a high-level Food Security Dialogue with the Philippines Department of Agriculture that showcased critical bilateral efforts to address global food security and climate change.
USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor and Philippines Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations Mercedita Sombilla chaired an interagency meeting with representatives from the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The dialogue highlighted partnerships and programming that support food security in the Philippines and promote international endeavors to reduce the impact of climate change.
Under Secretary, Taylor unveiled two new efforts to further U.S.-Philippine cooperation, one of which saw the U.S. Department of Commerce co-sponsoring an AgTech trade mission to Davao City and Manila, Philippines, with the Business Council for International Understanding later this year. The mission will focus on agrichemicals and fertilizers, digital and precision agriculture, cold chain facilities, aquaculture, and other industry sectors.
The United States and the Philippines have a long history of cooperation and partnership in identifying and implementing solutions to help tackle challenges impacting our citizens, our countries, and the world,” said Under Secretary Taylor. “The potential impacts of food insecurity and climate change elevate the urgency of our continued collaboration, and I’m pleased that the United States has such a strong and committed partner in the Philippines as we seek to ensure a more resilient future for generations to come.”
After the meeting, the members of the delegation travelled to USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center to explore biotechnology research intended to improve productivity in the face of a changing climate.
Source: usda.gov