Philippines - Country Strategy

1. Overview
2. Country Strategy
3. Priorities
4. Key Program Managers
5. Current Projects
6. Concluded Projects
7. Achievements
8. Relevant Publications
9. Country News and Stories
10. Project Locations
11. Country Office
12. Country Portfolio
13. Fellowship Statistics

Country Strategy

The main aim of ACIAR-Philippines cooperation is to assist in increasing productivity, marketability and international competitiveness for Philippines agricultural products, taking into account the impacts of trade liberalisation. Underlying this competitiveness is the need to improve agricultural productivity through more effective extension of research results to farmers and processors and through greater responsiveness to market opportunities. This should result in higher quality commodities being produced more competitively. Specific opportunities may come through research for development and marketing of products from aquaculture, horticulture, forestry and livestock enterprises and from farmer-driven improvements in agricultural systems. The emphasis on high-value products and market competitiveness aims to address food security by supporting research that would provide smallholder farmers and traders with increased cash income, supporting the purchase of staple foods.

A significant proportion of Philippine farming is carried out in fragile sloping environments or sensitive watersheds, and it is important that intensification of agricultural productivity does not come at the expense of la d degradation. To increase the prospects for sustainable adoption of the results of research, ACIAR's Philippine program increasingly emphasises involvement of local partners (such as local government units, NGOs and farmer community groups) in projects and commercial agribusiness companies. It also promotes projects that implement the results of earlier ACIAR-supported research in the Philippines. As well, there is a focus on fostering linkages between regionally based delivery organisations and research organisations and policymakers based centrally in Manila and Los Baos. There is greater emphasis on the southern Philippines, within a limited number of focal provinces in regions 10 and 11 (Mindanao) and regions 6, 7 and 8 (Visayas). The southern Philippines has the greatest development needs and the strongest engagement of Australian interests across the whole-of-government.