In the months preceding the Apec Leaders’ Meeting this week, Alyansa Agrikultura was asked to participate in five Apec working sessions. The invitation came from the Philippine government and the Apec Business Advisory Council. Alyansa Agrikultura, established in 2003, is a farmer-fisher coalition composed of 42 federations and organizations covering all major agricultural sectors. Some of its prominent federation members are PAKISAMA (in 46 provinces), Pambansang Kilusan ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (in 42 provinces), and Kilusang Mangingisda (in 15 provinces). On the forums on services where AA was a participant in Boracay and a speaker in Cebu, AA advocated an Apec Services Group which would also emphasize agriculture. Services constitute 52 percent of Gross Domestic Product across Apec countries, and therefore deserve special attention. In agriculture, services such as credit, marketing, and training often spell the difference between success and failure for farmers and fisherfolk.

Ordoñez, E. M. (2015, November 17). Apec can be a game changer for agriculture sector. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. B2-2.