Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for a new law that could change how farmers make decisions—and how food moves from the farm to the market.
Under Senate Bill 1653, Gatchalian is seeking to establish an Agriculture Information System (AIS) in every province, city, and municipality across the country.
The goal is simple but powerful: give farmers real-time information they can actually use.
According to the senator, the AIS would provide up-to-date data on crop yields, market demand, and other key farm details—helping farmers plan better harvests and avoid price spikes caused by delays and inefficiencies.
In practice, this means information on demand for agricultural and fishery products would be collected and uploaded at the same time as production data from farmers in every barangay.
No more guesswork.
No more blind spots.
The proposed system would bring together agricultural data from multiple sources and merge them into one synchronized database—creating a clear link from the farm, to local markets, and eventually, to global buyers.
If passed, the Agriculture Information System would be managed by the Department of Agriculture.
But the bill goes further.
It also requires the DA to allocate funds to connect the AIS with other government information systems, put strong verification and data protection measures in place, and work closely with other agencies to build stronger market connections—both locally and internationally.
At its core, the proposal is about empowerment.
For farmers, better information means better decisions.
And better decisions can mean fairer prices, less waste, and more food on the table—for everyone.
