The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) signed on Thursday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the DA - DOJ Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security (RISE) project.
The RISE project aims to use and rehabilate the lands within the Bureau of Correction's (BuCor) prison reservations and penal farm to boost food production and attain food security in the country.
Under this joint initative, the DA and DOJ through Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and DOJ and BuCor will plant variety of high-value crops, including herbs, fruits, and rice grain, and nurture livestocks in the said lands.
The RISE project also intends to provide a livelihood program for person deprived of liberty (PDLs).
The MOA was signed by DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, BuCor Chief Gregorio Catapang, and DOJ officials at the President’s Hall in Malacañang Palace.
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., who sits as the current Agriculture Chief, witnessed the MOA signing.
In his speech, Marcos regarded the project as an initiative that "attest" to his administration's "unyielding commitment to both food security and rehabilitated justice."
"By investing in these capacity-building activities we are not only boosting food production but also giving our PDLs opportunities to realize their potential for positive change and reformation," he added.
The President mentioned that the RISE project is a stepping stone to achieve two of his many priorities for the country such as food security and a zero-hunger goal under the Sustainable Development Goals (SG).
"These two priorities require cooperation amongst all disciplines and across all sectors, we must delve into the underlying causes of food insecurity of poverty, inequality and the lack of access to resources," Marcos noted.
