AUGUST 19, 2020

” GREETINGS… ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAHMARTULLAHI WABARAKATUH

Let me first express my delightfulness to be opening this first ever Bangsamoro Food Sufficiency Taskforce (BFSTF) meeting.

I believe the creation of this task force shall facilitate our concerted efforts in implementing programs and projects to ensure adequate food supply for the Bangsamoro people in this side of the country.

We must not forget that the livelihood base of almost 90% of the communities in the BARMM is agriculture and fisheries. Therefore, the sectoral actors need to be strengthened to become profitable and sustainable to upgrade their economic capacities, thereby enabling them to secure their food and nutrition needs.

Most of our works in the different ministries and agencies of the BARMM are geared towards the realization of food self-sufficiency to address the problems on poverty and malnutrition that hampers the people and the government in achieving a prosperous and healthy region.

I would like to recall the first ever food security summit that we had conducted in December 2019 through which we were able to discuss the current challenges affecting food security, present the programs and projects to address these challenges, and bring together support and agreements that could pave the way for profitable agriculture and fishery sector.

We are almost reaching the finish line for the development of the first ever Food Security and Nutrition Roadmap for the BARMM in partnership with the World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, BPDA, and other significant ministries in the BARMM.

This is done to create a ready and step-by-step guide towards synergy and convergence of interventions and assistance for the realization of the vision of a self-reliant, food secure, and resilient Bangsamoro. If implemented completely, this will ensure that food is accessible, available, utilized, and is stable for every Bangsamoro family.

All these will start in making sure that food is sufficient. Food sufficiency exists when the region is able to provide and satisfy the food needs of its people from its own local or domestic production.

With this, we really need to empower the communities and we always support the advocacy of the BARMM government, through Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, in bringing the need-based programs and projects directly to the grassroots to intensify the production of basic commodities and other food sources.

May we have a pleasant and fruitful meeting ahead that will hopefully initiate the attainment of food sufficiency in the Bangsamoro Region, in shaa Allah.

Thank you and wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. “