SEARCA and its partners organize a high-level political forum on the rural transformation of PH

The Southeast Asia Regional Center for Graduate Studies and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-Philippines and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) based in Rome organized the High-Level Policy Forum on Rural Transformation in the Philippines: Pathways, Policies, and Prospects to be held September 8-9, 2022 at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City and via Zoom.

According to SEARCA Director Glenn B. Gregorio, the hybrid event will bring together stakeholders from relevant Philippine government agencies, development and research organizations and think tanks, civil society and farmer organizations, the world academia and the private sector to discuss the state of rural transformation in the country.

He said their discussion will start from the results produced during the implementation of the Philippine component of the IFAD-funded project on rural transformation.

Speaking at the forum with the RESEARCH The directors are Dr. Rosemarie G. Edillon, Undersecretary, Policy and Planning Group, National Economics and Development Authority (NEDA), who will deliver the keynote address, and Dr. Francisco Javier Pichon, head of the Mekong pole of IFAD Asia and of the Department of the Pacific.

Dr. Gerlie T. Tatlonghari, SEARCA Program Manager for Research and Thought Leadership, also joins the forum as session leaders, presenters and commentators; Dr Reehana Raza, Regional Director, and Mr Abdelkarim Sma, Senior Regional Economist, both from IFAD’s Asia and Pacific Division; Mr. Yolando C. Arban, Acting Program Officer and Senior Advisor, IFAD-Philippines; Dr. Shahidur Rashid, Director of IFPRI-South Asia; Ms. Marlene D. Ramirez, Secretary General of the Asian Partnership for Human Resource Development in Rural Areas (AsiaDHRRA); Dr. Roehlano M. Briones, senior researcher at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS); Dr. Agham C. Cuevas, Professor and Dean of the University of the Philippines Los Baños-College of Economics and Management (UPLB-CEM); and Asst. Prof. Karen P. Quilloy of the UPLB-CEM.

“Stakeholders from other Asia-Pacific countries participating in the forum will provide insights into rural transformation in their countries,” Dr. Gregorio said. He added that their insights will help identify challenges, gaps and opportunities to achieve faster and more inclusive rural transformation and poverty eradication in the Philippines.

“The forum will also gather policy recommendations that will serve as input for developing action plans on how to support rural transformation in the Philippines,” Dr. Gregorio said.

In addition, participating stakeholders will also provide inputs to the action plan for the organization of the technical working group on agriculture and rural development as part of the network of advisors and policy analysts in the region. ASEAN (NePAAA).