President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday lauded the Kapatid Angat Lahat for Agriculture Program (KALAP), saying this will help farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) become “productive, profitable, sustainable and globally-competitive.”

He made this remark after witnessing the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the government and private sector on the implementation of KALAP at the Ceremonial Hall at Malacañan Palace.

The MOA was signed by officials of the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural resources, Department of Trade and Industry with heads of Go Negosyo, the National Tobacco Authority, Philippine Coconut Authority, National Irrigation Administration and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

In his speech, Marcos underscored the importance of public-private partnerships to address problems in the country’s agriculture and MSMEs sector.

“I have always said that in the difficulties that we are facing ahead, there is no sector of society that can manage the recovery by itself, and it cannot be done unless the different sectors of the society are working together and trying to implement a plan with a common understanding of what is needed to be done, with a common understanding of what people need, without forgetting every part of that sector or that area of the economy,” he said.

He said MSMEs were vital in the creation of new ideas, jobs and wealth in the country while big corporations are crucial in spurring their growth and realizing their potential.

Marcos also expressed hope that his dreams for the country’s next generation of farmers — which include using the best technologies with the complete support of a value chain — would eventually be realized.

“One day we will do this but we need all of you and we need everyone in our society to pull together to be able to do this,” he added.

All praises

Meanwhile, Marcos praised Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, also Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) jobs group lead, for being a “prominent” figure in bringing together public-private partnerships to help farmers and MSMEs.

“It is only recently that we see him quite so prominent, but he’s been doing this for most of his professional life and I think he deserves a very robust round of applause for all the work he has done,” he said.

He, likewise, reiterated support for such partnerships and expressed confidence that this would provide impetus for farmers and MSMEs to progress “more quickly.”

“These partnerships that Go Negosyo has been fostering for many many years are precisely the kind of partnerships that we are hoping to bring together,” he added.

During the event, Marcos also shared a light moment with Mana Buanoy Layom, a 98-year-old coconut farmer from Palawan.

Layom is a beneficiary of Lionheart Farms, one of the biggest big brother companies helping small farmers.

First introduced in 2016, the KALAP is a public private sector partnership initiative that aims to promote inclusive economic growth using Go Negosyo’s framework of providing MSMEs access to money, markets and mentoring.

It also aims to help the country’s MSMEs in the agriculture sector by integrating them into the value chain of large operations and develop agri-preneurs to be globally competitive. (PNA)