The Governments of Japan and the Philippines agreed on the release of additional funds under the Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers Program (formerly known as the RP-Japan Increased Food Production Program or KR2) for the “Productivity Enhancement Project” of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). The approved funds amounted to approximately 90 million Pesos.
This Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers Program, previously known as the Increased Food Production Program or 2KR Program), aims to focus on uplifting the lives of disadvantaged farmers. The National Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the Department of Agriculture spearheaded the implementation of the GAUF program. Initiated by the Government of Japan in 1977, the program has, since its inception, contributed to food self sufficiency and agricultural productivity in the Philippines , through a commodity assistance that comes in the form of farm inputs such as fertilizers. These commodities are sold and the proceeds are utilized to finance various agricultural and fishery projects as well as environmental and socio-economic development projects.
The peso proceeds of the program is being administered by the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC), the Department of Agriculture and the National Economic Development Authority. The NAFC-DA share of the proceeds has been supporting agricultural and fishery related projects while NEDA's allocation focuses assistance to small scale, short-gestating, productivity-enhancing as well as environmentally sound projects.
For the past two and a half years of implementing the program, NEDA has approved 121 projects. Of these, 34 have been completed, 74 are in various stages of implementation, and 13 projects have started implementation early this year. The completed projects have boosted the entrepreneurial capacities of the rural folks and fostered socio-economic development in their respective target areas of coverage.
The Government of Japan has assisted the Philippine Government in its efforts to attain food security by enhancing agricultural productivity in rural areas for four decades.
