Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. met with Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Hon. Randeep Sarai, on November 13, 2025 in Makati City to reaffirm the two countries’ strong agricultural cooperation and explore new avenues for partnership.
Secretary Tiu Laurel thanked Canada for its long-standing support in food security, climate resilience, and rural development. Secretary Sarai, reaffirming Canada’s commitment, highlighted a CAD26-million investment package for global agricultural initiatives.
The meeting centered on trade and investment opportunities. Canada expressed interest in supporting the Philippines in cacao and coffee development, climate-resilient agriculture, IUU-fishing monitoring, and regulatory capacity-building.
On dairy cooperation, National Dairy Authority (NDA) Administrator Atty. Marcus Andaya outlined the Philippines’ interest in Canadian dairy genetics, semen, live animals, and knowledge exchange on farm conditions and cow comfort.
Tiu Laurel underscored the need to improve logistics, cold-chain systems, and value-adding for high-value crops, noting:
“Canada remains a vital partner in strengthening our agricultural sector. Our shared commitment to food security, value-adding, and technical cooperation positions both countries for long-term, mutually beneficial growth,” he said.
He added that the Department is constructing a new rice fortification plant and seeks Canada’s guidance on expanding fortification to other products, stressing the importance of a resilient supply chain for fortification inputs and technology.
Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa noted that the Department plans to submit year-end concept notes for ODA projects in coffee, potatoes, cacao, and dairy. Both sides agreed to strengthen coordination and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing shared goals in food security, supply-chain resilience, and agricultural innovation.
Secretary Tiu Laurel was joined by Undersecretary Jerome Oliveros, NDA Administrator Marcus Antonius T. Andaya, Assistant Secretary de Mesa, Bureau of Animal Industry Director Christian Daquigan, and the International Affairs Division of the Policy Research Service. The Canadian delegation included Ambassador David Hartman and representatives from the Ministry and the Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office. ### (By DA – Alyssa Sahali Tan, IAD & photo by Joseph Henry Elamparo, AFID)
