KOICA, DA hold first project steering committee meeting for VEHCSA project in Aklan

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) jointly conducted the inaugural Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting for the Value Chain Enhancement of High-Value Crops through Smart Agriculture (VEHCSA) Project on July 24, 2025 in Malay, Aklan. The meeting marked a significant milestone in the collaborative initiative between the Republic of Korea and the Philippines to modernize and strengthen agricultural value chains in Western Visayas through smart farming technologies.

The meeting was co-led by KOICA Country Director JUNG Youngsun and DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops and PSC Chairperson Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero. It was attended by key PSC members, including DA Regional Executive Director for Western Visayas Dennis Arpia, KOICA Project Management Consultancy (PMC) Manager Dr. YOON Haejin, and other members of the PSC from the relevant DA bureaus and operating units.

The PSC convened to present and discuss the project’s overall direction,including the implementation strategy, construction updates on the smart greenhouse facility, preliminary results of the baseline survey, training components, and its alignment with national agricultural priorities. The committee also reviewed opportunities for complementation with DA’s flagship programs such as the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and ongoing smart agriculture policies.

In his remarks, Country Director JUNG emphasized the Korean government’s steadfast commitment to supporting Philippine agriculture. He highlighted KOICA’s aim to boost agricultural productivity, reduce food costs, and ensure food security, not only at the farm level but across the entire value chain. “This project is more than infrastructure; it is a platform for technology sharing and capacity building,” he noted. “We envision that VEHCSA will contribute significantly to the goals of the HVCDP and the National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan (NAFMIP) 2021–2030.”

Undersecretary Natividad-Caballero highlighted the crucial role of the PSC in setting the tone and pace for effective implementation. She stated that the success of VEHCSA lies in transforming collective vision into actionable, impactful results that benefit Filipino farmers. “The committee ensures that we stay on course in building a smarter, climate-resilient, and market-responsive agricultural production system. VEHCSA also aligns with the DA’s upcoming ‘White Revolution’ initiative, which will be launched in 2026 to further advance sustainable innovations in agriculture.”

The VEHCSA Project, a six-year initiative funded with an $8 million grant from the Korean government through KOICA, seeks to introduce and scale smart agricultural technologies that are appropriate and practical for local conditions. It also aims to develop a sustainable production model tailored for high-value crops in the Western Visayas region.

The meeting concluded with a strong commitment from both parties to sustain open collaboration, ensure community participation, and continuously monitor the project’s progress to deliver long-term benefits to farming communities. Follow-up activities, including capacity-building trainings and field monitoring visits, are scheduled in the coming months as the project moves toward its implementation phase.###Text and Photos by John D. Candelario/DA-RAFIS 6