TACLOBAN CITY- 23 participants from Regional and Provincial Offices of Region VIII gathered for the Data Review and Validation workshop for Northern Samar on the National Food Consumption Quantification Study Data last April 4, 2019 in Tacloban City. The activity was spearheaded by National Department of Agriculture with technical assistance of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The overall objective of the study is to formulate the Food Production Strategy which aims to identify policy and program recommendations towards achieving food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Ms. Joyce Poineta of DA and Ms. Ruzella Quilla of FAO cited the background and timeline of the study. Out of 81 Provinces in the Philippines, six provinces were chosen as pilot provinces for the project, one of which is Northern Samar. Several aspects were considered in the selection process such as poverty prevalence, malnutrition prevalence, etc. Northern Samar is top 3 of 10 provinces identified as poorest with 67% poverty incidence.

Ms. Ouilla further discussed on the top nine chosen commodities in the country with the consideration of adequate dietary requirement of every Filipino. Different agencies including NNC was asked on the validity of the data present in the study. PPAN 2017-2022 and the updated Regional OPT plus record were the basis of the data from NNC.

At the end of the workshop, the group chose Northern Samar PSA and PPDO as focal agencies for the project. The next gathering proposed would be sometime in August for the tools to be used during the project. Moreover, launching will be on November as the funding expires December 2019. # (NOI Ruth Janine B. Saballe)