THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said Farmer-Directors will be fielded to its regional field offices (RFOs) next month to improve governance and service delivery.
In a statement on Wednesday, DA said the Farmer-Directors program, dating from 2017, is designed to strengthen collaboration between the government and the private sector.
The program allows Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) chairmen, who are long-time advocates and representatives of rural stakeholders, to serve as directors at respective regional field offices for the month of May.
“The program promotes participatory governance, providing a vital grassroots perspective in policy-making and program implementation, and offering farmer leaders firsthand insight into government operations,” the DA said.
“The initiative also aims to (enable) Farmer-Directors to contribute meaningfully to decisions that directly impact their communities,” it added.
Farmer-Directors will be provided with office space, vehicles, and secretarial assistance from RFO personnel.
“At the end of their term, farmer-directors are required to submit accomplishment reports detailing their experiences, observations, and recommendations — providing crucial insights to further improve agricultural governance and service delivery at the regional level,” the DA said.
RAFCs are part of a broader network known as Agricultural and Fishery Councils, which exist at the regional, provincial, independent component or highly urbanized cities, and city or municipal levels. — Justine Irish D. Tabile