The Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office, in partnership with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iloilo Chapter, hosted the Agrinnovate Summit 2025 which gathered stakeholders to discuss strategic plans to improve agricultural productivity.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias delivered the keynote message on behalf of Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
In his speech, Banias underscored the commitment of the provincial government in strengthening the agriculture sector under the MoRProGRes development mantra of Governor Defensor.
“We firmly believe that food security, economic empowerment, and rural progress begin in the fields and farms of Iloilo,” he said.
He also highlighted the need for an adaptive technology that will make help our commodities become resilient to climate change.
“In Iloilo, we are responding to this call. Our Provincial Agriculture Office has laid out strategic plans through the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Systems or PAFES. We are prioritizing key commodities—rice, corn, coffee, cacao, and livestock—with focused investments and support to increase yields and ensure food sufficiency,” he said.
“More importantly, we are now taking a bold shift toward Smart Agriculture. This means embracing digitalization, precision farming, data-driven decision-making, and climate-resilient technologies. We want to build an agricultural ecosystem that is modern, competitive, and sustainable,” he added.
The provincial administrator noted the importance of partnering with the private sector in making agriculture more attractive to the younger generation.
“We are actively encouraging private sector participation through Public-Private Partnerships. We look to PCCI and other industry stakeholders to invest in agribusiness and rural development. Your role is critical in turning ideas into action and action into impact,” Banias said.
Agrinnovate Summit is one of the activities of the 124th Semana sang Iloilo celebration.
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