Government allots P285 million for agri–industrial facility in Clark

MANILA, Philippines — The government is earmarking an initial P285 million to put up the country’s first agri-industrial business corridor at the New Clark City as part of efforts to boost economic growth in the new normal.

The Department of Agriculture and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority recently inked a memorandum of agreement for the development of the New Clark City Agro-Industrial Business Corridor and National Seed Technology Park.

The New Clark City has the potential to jumpstart and sustain economic growth in the “new normal” because of its vast agricultural resources and strategic location that grants access to markets in both northern and southern Luzon, including Metro Manila.

“The ABC is critical not just for Clark, but also for the entire country for agricultural sustainability and resiliency,” BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon said.

Target for completion by 2022, the NSTP is the first activity under the DA and BCDA partnership to establish the country’s first ABC at a 50-hectare area in New Clark City.

The first phase of the project will cover a seven-hectare portion of the property to be operated by DA for the NSTP components such as seed laboratory, incubation hubs, machinery shed, soil and water chemistry laboratory, and other support facilities.

“We envision the NSTP to be the core base for the country’s modern crop industry, one that will take us one step towards industrialization and modernization of the agriculture industry,” Agriculture Secretary Wiliam Dar said.

Further, BCDA will develop the second phase covering 43 hectares for commercial components and purposes for agribusiness developments including downstream and upstream linkages in the agricultural value chains.

The ABC aims to integrate smallholder farmers by providing them access to resources, including state-of-the-art production technology, capital, and value-adding facilities.

It will also help address employment challenges in the new normal or post-COVID-19 environment.

The government expects to start construction of the ABC building, other facilities and the NSTP next year.

The facility is expected to be the start of a comprehensive national agricultural development program, as the DA is now formulating region-specific strategies for the development of more ABCs in other conducive areas in the country.

The DA is studying the establishment of ABCs at 12 new economic zones identified by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to entice more investments in agriculture.

Article and Photo originally posted by Philippine Star last December 22, 2020 12:00am and written by Louise Maureen Simeon. Minor edits have been made by REBPH to cater to its own readers.