Sound and holistic agricultural development, as well as agrarian reform are keys in promoting industrialization and generating employment. In pursuit of inclusive growth and development, all sectors/segments of the economy and in all regions of the country shall be given optimum opportunity primarily for economic growth and development.

Republic Act No. 8435 otherwise known as the “Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act of 1997” (AFMA 1997) mandated the construction and upgrading of farm-to-market roads (FMR) as one of the priority infrastructure interventions that has significant impacts in increasing agricultural productivity and reducing losses of Filipino farmers.

FMR projects help stimulate economic growth as this ensure easier access to basic social and market facilities. In addition, they provide linkages and connectivity to far-flung communities and isolated rural areas, thereby promoting productivity, increase incomes and generate more jobs; hence alleviating poverty.

The implementation of FMR projects conforms to the following criteria: (a) agro-industrial potential of the area; (b) social and economic contributions of the investments in the area; (c) absence of public investments in the area; and (d) presence of agrarian reform communities/beneficiaries and small farmers and fisherfolk in the area.

Cognizant of the need for a clear implementation framework of FMR projects, Section 52 of AFMA stipulated that the Department of Agriculture shall coordinate with the LGUs and the resident farmers and fisherfolk in order to identify priority locations of farm-to market-roads that take into account the: a) number of farmer and fisherfolk and their families who shall benefit therefrom, b) the amount, c) kind, and d) importance of agriculture and fisheries products produced in the area.