PH Food Resiliency and Livelihood Security in Time of COVID-19 Highlighted in Russia-ASEAN Seminar
Agricultural Attache Jerome Bunyi delivers his presentation on Philippine food resiliency and livelihood security during this period of COVID-19 at the video conference "Russia-ASEAN Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak" hosted by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. (Moscow PE photo)
MOSCOW 09 October 2020 – Philippine programs and policies on food resiliency and livelihood security during this period of COVID-19 were highlighted at the video conference "Russia-ASEAN Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak" hosted by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development on 30 September 2020.
Agricultural Attache Jerome Bunyi delivered a presentation that showed the measures the Philippines has undertaken in its agricultural sector to ensure continued food supply and to protect the livelihood of farmers, fisherfolk, and other stakeholders in the face of the many and difficult challenges brought about by the pandemic. Despite the Philippines implementing one of the hardest lockdowns in the region, the Department of Agriculture’s vital role in the COVID-19 Food Resiliency Task Force contributed greatly towards mitigating disruptions in the supply chain, monitoring prices of basic goods, ensuring sufficiency of food supply throughout the islands as well as unhampered mobility of farmers and agricultural workers. The Department of Agriculture is also spearheading the Urban Agriculture program to address supply chain constraints in cities.
“The outcomes of government interventions in terms of food resiliency seem to be effective thus far, especially in arresting speculations in the beginning of the lockdown in March and April. And of course, basic food supplies have remained sufficient,” said Agricultural Attache Bunyi.
Attache Bunyi is based in Brussels, Belgium but covers Russia for the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines.
At the event were over 100 government officials, scientists, experts, economists, and business persons from Russia and ASEAN. Also present were representatives of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)
There were four thematic and business sessions, all in the context of actions that must be taken in the face of the pandemic: (1) analysis of national measures to restore economies, (2) experience sharing on best technological solutions, (3) effective vaccines, and (4) mechanisms for cooperation between ASEAN and EEU.
The participants agreed to develop joint recommendations for building further cooperation in overcoming the consequences of the pandemic.
The Philippine Embassy in Moscow is very grateful to the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia for organizing this event and for the very informative presentation made by Agricultural Attache Bunyi.
“We are very grateful to Attache Bunyi for his expert presentation which I am sure was warmly welcomed by the participants. He covered topics which are of fundamental importance to us all and showed the comprehensive and responsive measures that the Philippine Government has been taking in the face of this pandemic,” Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos D. Sorreta said after the event. END
Top photo: Agricultural Attache Jerome Bunyi discusses the key role played by the Philippine Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in Philippine food resiliency and livelihood security during this period of COVID-19 at the video conference "Russia-ASEAN Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak" hosted by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. Bottom photo: Agricultural Attache Jerome Bunyi delivers his closing points. (Moscow PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.moscowpe.dfa.gov.ph, or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinRussia/ or https://twitter.com/phlinrussia.