Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has called on local government units, technology innovators, academic institutions, and the private sector to work together in advancing smart agriculture and climate-resilient solutions to secure the country’s food supply.
In his keynote address at the “10th ClickConEx: Convergence of Luzon I.C.T. Champions and Exhibitions” in Naga City, Pangilinan underscored how technology can significantly improve the productivity and resilience of farmers and fisherfolk.
“Ang kaalaman ay kapangyarihan,” he said, noting that agricultural workers can now access real-time information such as weather forecasts, pest warnings, market prices, and planting guidance through mobile devices.
He also emphasized that information and communications technology (ICT) can directly link producers to consumers through more efficient, digitally enabled supply chains.
Pangilinan assured that the adoption of technology in agriculture and fisheries will not replace traditional practices but will instead complement generations of indigenous knowledge passed down by farmers and fisherfolk, enhanced by science, data, and modern systems.
“If we want to have ample food supply, we must mobilize resources towards the weakest link and provide them with capacity, with technology, with organization, with extension service,” Pangilinan said.
He stressed that strengthening the sector requires not only technological tools but also institutional support, particularly at the grassroots level.
“Anong saysay ng teknolohiya kung hindi organisado ang food producers natin, ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda? Anuman ang intervention na gagawin ng national at local governments, kung hindi naman organisado at capacitated ang farmers at fisherfolk ay hindi magiging sustainable ang anumang intervention,” he explained.
“The lessons of superpowers in agriculture in the region is that they have a strong, organized farming and fishing cooperatives, regulations, and associations,” he added, citing Taiwan, Vietnam, and Thailand as examples.
Pangilinan, who resumes his role as chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, vowed to continue pushing reforms that modernize the agriculture and fisheries sectors while protecting the welfare and livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk.
He attended the event together with Senator Bam Aquino and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo.