Cultivating Investments in the Philippine Agro-Industrial Manufacturing for Food Security

Stratbase ADR Institute Business Roundtable Discussion

Cultivating Investments in the Philippine Agro-Industrial Manufacturing for Food Security

9:00 PM – 11:00 AM (PHT) | 16 October 2023 (Monday) | Pin Wei Room, Seda Vertis North, Quezon City

Food security remains to be a top priority for most nations around the world. In the case of the Philippines, 39% of Filipino families rated themselves as "Food-Poor" in the first quarter of 2023 – higher than the 34% recorded in the previous quarter – according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). Meanwhile, 35% classified themselves as "Borderline Food-Poor" while 26% said they were "Not Food-Poor". The SWS also reported that during the same period, 9.8% of Filipino families – translating to around 2.7 million families – experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the previous three months.

Amid other nations' endeavors and calls to diversify supply chains to make them more resilient, the Philippines has a significant opportunity to strengthen its position in the global supply chain. Recent geopolitical developments that influence several international trade obligations have shed light on the limitations of heavily relying on a single country for manufacturing activities.

The Philippines has immense potential to boost its own domestic production by actively promoting innovative investments in manufacturing, particularly in the agro-industrial sector. This endeavor will contribute to increasing the country's productivity and provide the growing domestic market with more affordable goods and essential commodities like food.

A shift towards investment-driven growth in the agro-industrial sector is expected to yield a significant multiplier effect that will increase productivity, strengthen food security, generate higher consumption, create jobs and livelihood opportunities, and ultimately keep the economy running strong.

In this context, the Stratbase ADR Institute is organizing its third business roundtable discussion for 2023, carrying the theme, "Cultivating Investments in the Philippine Agro-Industrial Manufacturing for Food Security" on 16 October 2023, Monday, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM (PHT). This event will be held in hybrid format at Pin Wei Room, Seda Vertis North, Quezon City and Zoom Webinar.

This event will bring together key stakeholders from the business community and the government to spark discussions on the crucial role of agriculture and industrial development in fostering resilient supply chains and ensuring food security for millions of Filipinos. Now, more than ever, there is an urgent need to advocate for investment-led growth and cultivate an environment that is conducive for industries to grow – one that can sustain the hard-earned economic progress of the nation.