The Nueva Ecija Province is the newest partner of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the implementation of the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Systems (PAFES).

On November 24, 2021, Agriculture Secretary William Dar and DA-Central Luzon Regional Director Crispulo Bautista signed the PAFES Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the provincial partners for the establishment of the Nueva Ecija Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System.

The establishment of PAFES is one of the key strategies of the DA to strengthen its collaboration with the local government units, the academe, and the private sector. It will also bring extension services closer to the grassroots level since the province will serve as an extension hub synchronizing agricultural plans and programs and orchestrating the activities of the various stakeholders.

Signatories to the MOA are Governor Aurelio Umali, Central Luzon State University (CLSU) President Edgar Orden, League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Nueva Ecija (LMP-NE) President Jose Dizon, and League of Municipal and City Agriculturists of the Philippines in Nueva Ecija (LeMMCAP-NE) President Jerry Rigos. National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Manager Josephine Salazar, Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) Regional Director Mario Lapitan, and Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council (PAFC) Chairman Orlando Corpuz also signed the MOA. (Photo by Adones Buhayan, DA-AFID)