THE Department of Agriculture and its attached agency, the Philippine Coconut Authority , both celebrated their respective anniversaries this June with optimism that the country's agriculture sector would have a bright future despite the recent challenges from climate change and geopolitical conflicts.The DA kicked off its 126th anniversary celebration last June 25 with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
It served as a critical indicator for assessing food security and planning for agricultural and trade policies related to rice. If the DA's national rice inventory yearend projection was realized, the national inventory at the end of 2024 would be the highest in at least 15 years, topping the 3.42 million MT in 2010.