CZECH Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný is scheduled to visit Manila next week to establish cooperation supporting initiatives for Philippine food security.
The visit aligns with the Philippine government’s goal of expanding cooperation with the Czech Republic on food security.
In a joint press conference, Czech President Petr Pavel said they will be accompanied by a delegation of businessmen to demonstrate interest in investing in agriculture and other key sectors, including defense, manufacturing, farming and agriculture, science, technology, energy, and power.
The Czech President mentioned that many of these businesses have plans for future cooperation with the Philippines.
Minister Výborný will meet with Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel and lead a business forum in Makati on March 21.
The group will also visit Davao for another business forum, and will explore the Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. (Tadeco).
The Czech Republic is one of the Philippines’ partners that has assisted in analyzing and improving the value chain in the Philippine dairy industry. The Czech Aid-for-Trade supported the proposal of the National Dairy Authority (NDA) to fund technical exchanges of experts.
This initiative aligns with the Department of Agriculture’s five-year program to increase milk production in the country from one to ten percent.
The National Dairy Authority completed two projects in collaboration with the Czech Republic, such as the Expert Assistance on the in-depth Analysis of the Supply Chain of the Philippine Dairy Industry conducted in 2018, and the Strengthening Capacities of Dairy Farmers and Extension Workers project carried out in 2019.
