COOPERATIVES need to play a major role in improving farmers鈥 access to financing, according to the former head of the government鈥檚 economic planning agency.
At a Senate agriculture hearing, Cielito F. Habito, former director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA, currently the Department of Economy, Planning and Development), noted that only a third of the country鈥檚 5.56 million farm households were cooperative members.
In Thailand, the equivalent rate is 95%, with 4,000 cooperatives having 6.81 million members, he noted.
Mr. Habito added that cooperatives can be formed from the National Irrigation Administration鈥檚 irrigation associations, while also incorporating data from the Department of Agriculture鈥檚 Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.
Mr. Habito noted that the distribution of key equipment and technology like drying facilities should be coursed through cooperatives to ensure fair access among farmers.
鈥淎ll energies on extension work must be focused on cooperatives,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the very first step that our extension workers should try to do.鈥 鈥 Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
