Let's make the province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Systems work

I ONCE declared during the Duterte administration that local officials, particularly provincial governors, should become the "food security czars" in their areas as the function of providing agricultural extension services was devolved to them under the Local Government Code of 1991.

And with the Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court ruling stipulating that local government units (LGUs) be given a bigger revenue allotment, I believe that governors take the lead in developing agriculture and agribusiness in their respective provinces. For its part, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will develop programs and targets for the country's farming and fishery sector, and actively engage LGUs in attaining the goals at the local level.