COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) successfully facilitated a two-day workshop on the formulation of implementing guidelines and criteria for Food Security Convergence Programs and Projects (PAPs) under the Bangsamoro Food Sufficiency Task Force (BFSTF) on Tuesday, November 24 until November 25, held at Kutawato Hall B, Em Manor Hotel and Convention Center, this city.
In partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), the said activity aims to come up with a final draft of implementing guidelines and criteria for the implementation of Food Security Convergence PAPs in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for adoption by BFSTF.
Rohanisah N. Rashid, BPDA Chief of Economic Planning Division, said this activity is for the taskforce to have a clear picture of different convergence PAPs.
“We have to come up with the implementing guidelines and criteria for the identification of target municipalities down to barangays that will serve as our guide and direction of our convergence programs and projects,” Rashid said.
MAFAR Director Ismail Guiamel, expressed their ministry’s support to BARMM’s food security activities.
“On behalf of Minister Yacob, we are always supportive of this food security activities. This workshop is vital in preparation to our next activity. Through this, we will be able to see the gaps and tried to reconcile and harmonize all those outputs and set a clear direction for the Task Force. All of these are for the Bangsamoro, so let’s help each other to realize the goal of Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) Roadmap,” Guiamel said.
Aside from BPDA and MAFAR, members of the task force composed of the Office of the Chief Minister (OCM), Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE), Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism (MTIT), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), and Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) were also present during the activity. Meanwhile, upon the issuance of Executive Order No. 005 Series of 2020 from the Office of the Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim, the BFSTS was created as the effect of the presentation and approval of the milestones of food sufficiency program towards sustainable food system by BPDA Director General Mohajirin T. Ali during the 38th Cabinet Meeting on June 30, 2020. (Lovella Lao-Lastimosa, IKMD, BPDA-BARMM)