ASIDE from the importance of government and private sector partnership for growth and development, the upcoming Visayas Area Business Conference and Expo in Bacolod City will also underscore the agriculture development need in the region.
Frank Carbon, chief executive officer of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), yesterday said agriculture sector, including fisheries, in the Visayas region is growing slowly unlike of the service and industries.
It has a very minimal contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Western Visayas, Carbon said.
"Our agriculture sector lags behind service and industries and service sectors which peso value is so growing fast and big," he said, adding that "it has to contribute more to the GDP growth as half of our resources are in land and water -- agriculture."
Themed "Government and Business: Partnering for Growth and Development," the conference from August 29 to September 2, 2018, will gather representatives of businesses, local government units, and academe from Regions 6, 7 and 8.
Plenary sessions and seminars will be held at L'Fisher Hotel while the Agriculture and Livestock Expo is at SM City Bacolod Activity Center.
Carbon said they are inviting Agriculture Secretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano mainly to lay down the agency's plans for the agriculture sector of the three Visayas regions.
Carbon claimed that 40 percent of the population is in agriculture areas thus, many are still in the poverty threshold because of the absence of investments and jobs there.
"What are the plans of the government for agriculture? Will there be additional irrigation and farm-to-market roads? What is the administration's focus?", he asked, adding that "we want to know so the business sector can go with these plans."
The conference's theme highlights the need for the government and private sector to partner towards development.
"We have to put together our limited resources to create an impact," the business leader pointed out, adding that "the business sector has to align its development plans to that of the government."