Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the country’s first “agri-industrial business corridor” or ABC, which aims to help small farmers, will be established at New Clark City in Tarlac.
The DA partnered with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to build the ABC that will connect farmers to resources like technology, capital, and value-adding facilities. This will be situated in a 30-hectare site in the economic zone.
A national seed technology park will also be built in the area, the DA said.
Moreover, the facility will complement the planned Clark Fresh Market that will rise at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex, it added.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a statement on Thursday that this will also help address employment in the “new normal.”
BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon said that aside from jobs that will be generated, this will further boost economic activity in Tarlac and other provinces in Central and Northern Luzon.
He said that construction of the facilities is expected to start in 2021.
Dar said the DA is already crafting region-specific strategies for the setting up of more ABCs across the country.
He noted that there are plans to establish ABCs at 12 new economic zones identified by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to invite more agricultural investments. These will be linked together for better logistics and faster distribution of technology, he added.
