At the ceremonial signing of the partnership for the Hand-in-Hand National Investment Forum 2026 held at the Asian Development Bank, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. framed the initiative as a shift in how the country presents its agri-fisheries industry to the global investment community.
The forum, organized with the Food and Agriculture Organization, aims to channel private capital into projects across farming, fisheries and rural infrastructure—areas the government says hold significant but underfinanced growth potential.
At the center of the effort is the Hand-in-Hand (HIH) initiative, a global FAO platform that links data-driven agricultural priorities with financing and technical expertise. Staging the National Investment Forum on home soil signals the Philippines’ bid to translate international interest into concrete investments.
By promoting the industry as a “highly bankable sector,” the Department of Agriculture is signaling a stronger push toward investment-led modernization.
The National Investment Forum is expected to spotlight high-impact projects in priority commodities, from farm production and processing to logistics and value-chain development—segments where development banks and private investors increasingly see commercial potential.### (Photos by Darrel Gultia, DA-OSEC Comms)
