Speaking at the 3rd Philippine Hydro Summit & Exhibition in Manila, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the country cannot meet its clean-energy ambitions—35 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040—without accelerating hydropower development, from run-of-river systems to pumped-storage facilities and micro-hydro installations.
But his message went beyond electricity. “Energy and agriculture are deeply interconnected,” he said, noting that irrigation networks, cold storage, fish landing sites, and food-processing facilities all depend on stable, affordable power. Hydropower, he argued, can anchor a “clean-energy countryside” where electrification and agricultural productivity rise together.
To push integration forward, the Department of Agriculture committed to five actions: mapping irrigation and water assets suitable for hydropower; supporting agro-industrial zones powered by renewable energy; guaranteeing farmer participation and fair benefit-sharing in hydropower projects; improving infrastructure coordination between agriculture and energy agencies; and advocating for a unified national policy aligning food, water, and energy security.
He urged government, private developers, and communities to collaborate, stressing that hydropower can serve as a bridge between the country’s clean-energy transition and resilient food production. ### (Text by DA – OSEC Comms & Photos by Adones V. Buhayan, DA-AFID)
