In line with the anti-hunger initiatives of the government, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the United Nations – Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) launched on Wednesday (December 20) the Digital Mapping System (DMS), an innovation designed to strengthen food security systems in the country.

The DMS is an initiative under the DSWD Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Convergence Program that aims to strengthen the capacities of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and small-holder farmers by linking them to prospective markets such as the DSWD’s Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), and other institutional feeding programs of various agencies.

The innovation was designed and funded by the FAO under a Technical Cooperation Programme with the DSWD EPAHP.

During the turnover ceremony of the mapping system, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a video message that the DMS will help empower CBOs and small farmers around the country.

“We envisioned to enhance the capacities of the community-based organizations and small-holder farmers, positioning them as frontline suppliers of food to government feeding centers and in times of crisis, such as during disasters. Through this system, they can register with their available products that agencies and organizations can purchase and procure for their anti-hunger programs and food security initiatives,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

FAO Representative in the Philippines Dr. Lionel Dabbadie, also in a video message, said the DMS will help achieve the goal of the EPAHP to achieve food security and nutrition of poor Filipinos.

“As the DMS transitions to the capable hands of the DSWD and the broader EPAHP community, I am confident that its impactful features, guided by our meticulously crafted policies and guidelines will empower us to make lasting strides towards food security and nutrition for every individual and the transformation of every food system in the country,” Dr. Dabbadie emphasized.

Dr. Dabaddie was represented at the event by Food and Nutrition Security Specialist Maria Cecilia Pastores and FAO Management Information System (MIS) Specialist Holden Hao.

The DMS will be open to the public to assist CBOs to access government programs needing their commodities, while agencies can utilize the system to easily locate and purchase supplies to feed their intended beneficiaries, forming a digitalized food supply and demand system.

Among those who signified their support to the DMS were Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Special Concerns and for BARMM Engr. Zamzamin Ampatuan, and World Food Programme (WFP) Country Capacity Strengthening Coordinator Mr. Peter Loach.

Other EPAHP partner -agencies include the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Department of the Interior and Local Government-Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (DILG-BJMP), Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Department of Trade and Industry-Cooperative Development Authority (DTI-CDA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), Department of Science and Technology- Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), and the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT).

The DSWD officials who were present in the activity include Undersecretaries Eduardo Punay, Monina Josefina Romualdez, and Diana Rose Cajipe, Assistant Secretaries Rodolfo Santos, Baldr Bringas, and Florentino Loyola Jr.#