Thanking our development partners
The FAO Development Partners' Forum is in recognition of the fact that we cannot do what we do without the support and collaboration of our partners, donors, and stakeholders .
FAO Philippines held its 2019 Development Partners’ Forum (DPF) on 26 September at the Makati Diamond Residences in Makati City. This event is the Country Office’s centerpiece activity to promote visibility, advocacy, and deeper partner engagement. This edition of the DPF is significant as it is the last one organized under Mr Jose Luis Fernandez in his capacity as FAO Representative in the Philippines.
The Forum highlighted FAO’s key milestones and accomplishments in the Philippines from December 2018 to September 2019. Included were updates from the Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2018 – 2024, which is FAO’s reference document launched in 2018 and aligned with the Philippine Development Plan and UN’s Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development.
Two presentations were made during the Forum: updates on the FAO Philippines CPF 2018 – 2024, which was delivered by Ms Tamara Palis-Duran, Assistant FAO Representative for Programme, and a success story testimonial by Chita Sulan of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, an FAO project beneficiary under the Green Environment Facility (GEF)-supported project on agrobiodiversity, value-addition, and agribusiness.
UN and Philippine Government partners also delivered messages of support, which included Mr. Ola Almgren, UN Resident Coordinator, and Undersecretary Rodolfo Vicerra of the Department of Agriculture (DA) representing Secretary William Dar. Both reiterated their respective agencies’ continued partnership and support to initiatives of FAO in the Philippines.
The DPF featured a special panel discussion on the topic “Strengthening prospects for economic growth in Mindanao through inclusive agriculture value chains”. Panelists included Minister Mohammad Yacob, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform of BARMM; DA Undersecretary Rodolfo Vicerra; Director Wendell P. Orbeso, Head of the Joint Normalization Committee Secretariat, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP); and Executive Director Rolando Torres, Mindanao Business Council (MBC). The panelists discussed issues, challenges, and opportunities in the agricultural value chains in BARMM, particularly in areas where FAO and partners could effectively work together to help bring about peace and prosperity in the region. Atty. Patrick Velez, FAO Parliamentary Alliance Specialist, moderated the panel discussion.
A product exhibit by the GEF-supported project on agrobiodiversity was also held during the forum. The exhibit showcased products that have been produced by beneficiaries in the project’s Ifugao and Lake Sebu sites through skills training and agricultural value chain-based sustainable agribusiness provided by FAO.
Fifty-seven high-level and senior representatives attended the event, comprised of 36 dignitaries from embassies and international development organizations and 21 from government national and line agencies, NGOs, and the private sector. About 40 staff members of the FAO Country Office also attended the event.