Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo believes that the establishment of Canada’s regional agriculture office in the Philippines for the Indo-Pacific will help the country achieve its food security and resiliency goals.
Manalo welcomed Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau’s announcement on the establishment of a regional agricultural office in Manila.
“As a regional base, the Manila office will play a significant role and serve as a staging point for enhancing technical cooperation and fostering increased trade of crucial agriculture and agri-food products between the Philippines and Canada,” Manalo said in a statement. Rey E. Requejo
He also reiterated the pronouncement made by his Canadian counterpart, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, during her recent visit to Manila that “Philippine and Canadian agriculture institutions, farmers, and related companies will benefit from the direct exchange of knowledge and skills, as well as information on respective food and agriculture standards.”
On Thursday, the Canadian government picked the Philippines to house its new agriculture and agri-food office in the Indo-Pacific region as it considers the latter as its “important partner” to build more economic relationships and people-to-people ties.
Bibeau announced that Manila will be the intended home base for the new Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office after discussing the Canadian strategy in the region with the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance.
