President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday directed the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) to explore forging partnerships between agricultural cooperatives and Local Government Units (LGUs) to strengthen the development and training of farmers.

The President made this call during a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) in Malacañang after the council recommended the creation of an office within the Department of Agriculture (DA) dedicated solely to the capacity building and professionalization of agricultural cooperatives.

The President, however, pointed out that cooperatives fall under the purview of the CDA. He then suggested that the CDA should instead consider establishing partnerships with LGUs to carry out the development and training of farmers.

“Maybe we have to come to some kind of partnership for LGUs that are, in fact, interested. Or the areas that we would like to organize better,” President Marcos said. “Puntahan ng CDA and tell them, you know, we could do much better here and this is how we can do it with the help of the LGU.”

The CDA is a government agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It promotes the viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments of equity, social justice, and economic development.

Noting that the CDA is a small agency with limited manpower, the President emphasized the necessity for the agency to partner with LGUs to effectively carry out its mandate. PND