VOLUME 46 (2024)

For the 46th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) and the 2024 Regional Scientific Meetings, the NAST PHL adopted the theme “Beyond Farm Productivity: Transforming the Philippine Food System to Address Equity, Consumer Health, and Environmental Issues”.

Until recently, agricultural and rural development in the Philippines focused on improving farm productivity through large-scale monoculture, which has not benefited rural communities. Farmers and fisherfolk remain poor, and monoculture have led to reduced biodiversity, chronic diseases among consumers, and environmental issues like pollution and climate change.

These meetings address these challenges by focusing on equity, consumer health, and environmental issues beyond primary production. All national plans emphasize the importance of diversifying farm activities to solve existing food system problems, offer nutritious food choices, and create value-adding opportunities for farmers and fisherfolk. However, this strategy raises new questions about market demand for diverse products and the role of technology in transforming the food system. Evidence-based studies are needed to convince policymakers and society of the benefits of food system transformation