Department of Agriculture Philippines

What Department of Agriculture Philippines does

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is the cabinet-level executive department of the Government of the Philippines responsible for promoting agricultural and fisheries development, founded in 1898 and headquartered at Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It delivers public services to rice farmers, fisherfolk, and rural communities through a network of 17 Regional Field Offices, 9 bureaus (including BFAR, BPI, BAI, BSWM, BAFS, BAFE, BAR, PRRI), 9 attached agencies (including ACPC, FPA, NFRDI, NMIS, PCC, PhilMech, PCAF, PhilFIDA), and 9 attached corporations (including NFA, NIA, PCA, PCIC, PFDA, PhilRice, SRA, NDA, NTA), supplemented by 9 Foreign Agriculture Service Corps offices abroad.

Its portfolio spans market access programs (KADIWA ng Pangulo, P20 Rice/Benteng Bigas, Sagip Saka), the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) under RA 11203 providing mechanization, seeds, credit and extension services, digital registration platforms (RSBSA, FishR, BoatR, FishCoRe, FFEDIS), and infrastructure initiatives including the National Seed Reserve Facility, Mega Food Hub, Mega Cold Storage, Smart Greenhouses, and Mobile Soil Laboratories. The department also operates R&D centers such as the National Seaweeds Technology Development Center (BFAR-NSTDC), and runs the F2C2 clustering program, SAAD for geographically isolated areas, the Youth Farmers Challenge, and sustainability projects PSAT and TASAT backed by the World Bank.

DA is funded through annual national government appropriations and international development assistance from the World Bank and JICA, with most services provided free or subsidized to registered beneficiaries. The current Secretary, Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., took office on November 3, 2023. The department's revenue model is therefore budgetary rather than commercial: it does not generate sales revenue, instead distributing subsidized rice (PHP 20/kg), free farm inputs, mechanization, credit channelled through Land Bank and DBP, and crop insurance through PCIC to its target beneficiaries.

Name

Department of Agriculture Philippines

Legal name

Department of Agriculture

Website

https://da.gov.ph

Company type

Public

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Department of Agriculture Philippines is the cabinet-level executive department responsible for promoting agricultural and fisheries development, delivering subsidized programs in food security, mechanization, credit, market access, and farmer registration to rice farmers, fisherfolk, and rural communities nationwide through 17 regional offices, 9 bureaus, and supporting attached agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Services

NAICS

Administration of Economic Programs (9261), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Farm Management Services (115116), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

Keywords

• Agricultural development services
• Farmer support programs
• Fisheries management
• Food security programs
• Agricultural extension services

Headquarters

HQ city

Quezon City

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: Annual national government budget allocations for agricultural development, extension services, and farmer assistance programs
2. International Development Assistance: Loans and grants from international financial institutions including World Bank for agricultural modernization projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Department of Agriculture Philippines is the national government agency mandated to develop and govern the agriculture and fisheries sectors. It delivers policy, regulatory, research, extension, infrastructure (cold storage, food hubs, smart greenhouses), input subsidy, market linkage (KADIWA ng Pangulo), and social inclusion programs (SAAD, Youth Farmers Challenge) to Filipino farmers, fisherfolk, and consumers. Services are funded through national appropriations and international development grants and are largely free or subsidized, including the P20/kg Rice Program.

Product overview

The Department of Agriculture Philippines operates not as a single product but as a broad government ministry overseeing a portfolio of agricultural programs and services delivered through its central offices, bureaus (BFAR, BPI, BSWM, BAFER, etc.), attached agencies, and corporations. The portfolio includes market access programs (KADIWA ng Pangulo, P20 Rice/Benteng Bigas), competitiveness enhancement (RCEF with mechanization, seeds, credit, and extension), digital registration platforms (RSBSA, FishR, BoatR), infrastructure initiatives (Mega Food Hub, Mega Cold Storage, Smart Greenhouses, Mobile Soil Labs), and technology development centers (BFAR-NSTDC for seaweeds). Programs like PSAT and TASAT represent modernization and sustainability initiatives backed by international partners. The Department also operates fisheries-specific programs including SAAD, FishCoRe, IFIT, and FFEDIS, alongside export promotion (Philippine Agri-Food Export Window) and youth engagement (Youth Farmers Challenge).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KADIWA ng Pangulo: Government program for affordable food access featuring direct-from-farm sales to consumers
• Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!
• P20 Rice Program
• Young Farmers Challenge
• RCEF
• Sagip Saka

Products and services

• KADIWA ng Pangulo Direct-to-consumer agri-fishery market program linking farmers, fisherfolk, and MSMEs to Filipino households by eliminating intermediaries and selling produce (rice, fish, meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables) at lower retail prices via dedicated market outlets.
• P20 Rice Program (P20/kilogram Rice Program) Subsidized rice distribution program that sells rice to Filipino households (particularly vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, PWDs, solo parents, and indigent beneficiaries) at a controlled price of P20 per kilogram.
• Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization, seed, fertilizer, and extension support service for rice farmers aimed at improving rice yield and lowering production cost; the program also conducts registration of rice seed growers.
• F2C2 (Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation Program) Clustering and consolidation program that organizes farmers and fisherfolk into cooperatives/associations to achieve economies of scale in production, mechanization, and market access.
• National Color-Coded Agricultural Guide Map (CCAGM) Interactive, geographic information system (GIS)-based reference map identifying which crops and commodities are suitable for planting or raising in specific areas; supports investment and farm planning decisions by farmers, LGUs, and agribusinesses.
• Mega Food Hub Physical facility program supporting regional food hubs across the country that aggregate, process, and distribute agricultural and fishery products to improve post-harvest handling and market access.
• Mega Cold Storage Facilities Network of large cold-chain storage facilities designed to reduce post-harvest losses, improve shelf life, and stabilize supply of agricultural and fishery commodities.
• Smart Greenhouse Project Deployment of smart greenhouses controlled-environment agriculture infrastructure with climate and humidity monitoring to support urban and peri-urban vegetable production.
• Mobile Soil Laboratory Mobile laboratory service that travels to farming communities to provide soil testing, analysis, and fertility recommendations to help farmers determine appropriate crops and fertilizer inputs.
• SAAD (Special Area for Agricultural Development) Program Social inclusion and livelihood program targeting indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized farming and fishing communities to provide production inputs, training, and enterprise support.
• Youth Farmers Challenge Agri-entrepreneurship grant program for young Filipino farmers aged 18-30 designed to encourage youth participation in farming through start-up grants and business mentoring.
• IFIT (Intensified Food Production) Program Intensified production program for high-value crops (fruits, vegetables, root crops, legumes) and livestock/commodities (including sweet potato, cassava, corn, onion, garlic, beef cattle, dairy, goat, sheep) to expand domestic production capacity.
• PhilAgriExport Window (Philippine Agri-Food Export Window) Online platform enabling Filipino producers and exporters to access export market information, requirements, and trade opportunities for agricultural and food products.
• FMR Watch (Farm-to-Market Road Watch) Reporting platform and program tracking the construction and maintenance status of farm-to-market roads (FMR) across the country to improve rural connectivity.
• PakYakanAbaka Tissue Culture Production Facility National abaca tissue culture production facility operated through the NFFC in Davao, producing certified disease-free abaca planting materials to support the Philippine abaca industry and export competitiveness.
• Philippine Crops Industry and Animal Industry Insurance Services Crop and livestock insurance services providing protection to Filipino farmers and livestock raisers against losses due to natural calamities, pests, and disease, helping stabilize farm income.
• Fisheries Registration Systems (FishR and BoatR) BFAR-operated registration platforms that record Filipino fisherfolk (FishR) and fishing vessels (BoatR), serving as the foundational database for fisheries licensing, support, and vessel security.

Quantifiable outcome

• P20 Rice Program provides subsidized rice at P20/kg to consumers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Danish Fishing Technology ClustercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026MOU signing between DA-BFAR and Danish Fishing Technology Cluster for fisheries technology cooperation and development. Aims to strengthen fisheries cooperation and share technology expertise.
• Lao PDRminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026MOU signing between Philippines and Lao PDR for agricultural cooperation and bilateral trade relations.
• Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCIC provides crop insurance to farmers, with DA facilitating distribution of insurance claims and assistance to weather-affected farmers.
• PakistanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh-level meeting discussing rice import opportunities from Pakistan. Pakistan expressed interest in supplying rice to the Philippines while Philippines may export buffalo meat, coconuts, seaweeds, and fish products.
• Danish EmbassycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership meeting with Danish Ambassador and Danish Fish-Tech Cluster representatives for fisheries cooperation initiatives.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU signing for rice research cooperation and technology transfer for rice sector development.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in FAO Asia-Pacific Regional Conference and World Food Forum activities for international agricultural cooperation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): UN specialized agency setting global agricultural norms, providing technical assistance, and convening Asia-Pacific ministers — overlaps with DA on policy frameworks, statistics, and capacity-building, but at international rather than national scale.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, UK): UK government department integrating agriculture, environment, and rural development — comparable in combining production support, environmental stewardship, and post-Brexit farm-payment schemes.

Regional players

• Ministry of Agriculture of Indonesia: Indonesia's national agriculture ministry with a near-identical Southeast Asian tropical-agriculture portfolio (rice, palm, fisheries) and similar smallholder farmer-support programs — directly comparable regional peer.
• Department of Agriculture and Cooperatives (Thailand): Thailand's agriculture ministry operating comparable rice, fisheries, and cooperative-development programs in a neighboring ASEAN economy — useful regional benchmark for program design and farmer-support effectiveness.

Direct peers

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): U.S. cabinet-level department administering agricultural policy, farm support, rural development, and food security — directly comparable as a national agriculture ministry with research, extension, insurance, and international trade functions.
• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia): Australian federal department responsible for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry policy, biosecurity, and trade — comparable as a government department integrating production oversight, biosecurity rule-making, and export market development.
• Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China: China's central agriculture ministry responsible for crop production policy, rural revitalization, and food security — directly comparable mandate and scale to the Philippine DA, including oversight of national research institutes and provincial extension systems.
• Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare (India): India's central ministry overseeing agriculture, horticulture, and farmer welfare — comparable in delivering subsidized inputs, credit, crop insurance (PMFBY), and minimum support prices across a large and diverse farmer base.

Others

• Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA): Attached corporation under DA responsible for coconut industry development — adjacent peer operating within DA's oversight structure and targeting a single commodity subsector.

Emerging players

• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): Los Baños-based international rice research center with an active MOU with DA — comparable as a co-developer of rice varieties, training, and extension programs targeting Philippine rice farmers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dacentralphilippines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-agriculture-philippines

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries42 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Agriculture Philippines