WASHINGTON DC -- An agreement of cooperation on agriculture and related fields between the Philippines and the United States was signed here Tuesday.

The framework of the agreement covers the areas of sanitary and phytosanitary measures that would allow the sale of fresh fruits from the Philippines to the US in the near future.

The other areas of cooperation include biotechnology, especially in the area of developing disease- and adverse climate-tolerant seeds for rice, support for livestock improvement programs and for irrigation infrastructure works, and capacity building of extension personnel through training and technical exchanges.

“All these cooperation areas are in support of Philippine food security program,” said a statement distributed to media.

During the World Bank (WB) consultations here on the Global Food Crisis Response Program, the Philippine agriculture department also signified its intention to avail of the $1.2-billion facility for loans and grants, specifically to aid the private sector and farmers.

“The DA [Department of Agriculture] made it clear to the WB officials that we had no intentions of supplanting the private sector, but would like to support them in accessing affordable fertilizers for distribution at assured rates and prices to the farmers,” Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said in the statement.

“Grains milers and processors can also be party of this program as they are part of the grains supply chain,” Yap said.