THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is proposing to geofence about three million hectares of prime agricultural land, particularly rice-producing areas, as the Philippines expands renewable energy capacity.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the digital mapping initiative aims to draw a clearer line between land needed for food production and areas suitable for renewable energy projects ahead of the next Green Energy Auction (GEA).
“We need energy security, but it cannot come at the cost of food security,” Tiu Laurel said, stressing that the country must expand power capacity without putting food-producing land at risk.
The DA plans to identify and digitally map priority agricultural areas and cross-check these with existing and awarded energy projects to prevent conflicts and overlaps. It will initially identify 1,000 to 2,000 priority areas.
The initiative also seeks to ensure farmers and fisherfolk benefit from the shift to renewable energy through lower electricity costs.
The DA and Department of Energy (DOE) are exploring ways to link renewable energy suppliers under the GEA, Green Energy Option and Retail Competition and Open Access framework with qualified agricultural users, including irrigation systems, rice mills, cold storage facilities, farms and fishponds.
The agencies are also working with the Energy Regulatory Commission on possible mechanisms to pass savings to qualified agricultural users.
The DA and DOE are targeting an October 2026 memorandum of agreement and will develop a Farm-to-Energy Framework to strengthen the sector’s access to affordable renewable power. / KOC