Agriculture is one of the most affected sectors in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite mobility restrictions and limitations, Filipino farmers still have the daunting task of ensuring food for 110 million Filipinos. To support them, the Department of Health (DOH) and agricultural technology firm Syngenta Philippines are working together to make sure that farmers get the help and information they need for them to make informed, fact-based decisions on important matters such as vaccination. Together, they aim to boost vaccine confidence, address vaccine hesitancy, and counter vaccine misinformation.

Syngenta Philippines equips and empowers Filipino farmers through sustainable crop protection technologies and high-quality seed varieties. They have also been training farmers through the learning centers that they established across the nation. Throughout the years, Syngenta has been maintaining a wide, strong network of farmers all over the country.

The DOH – Health Promotion Bureau (DOH-HPB) sees Syngenta’s resources, networks, and expertise as valuable in helping the government bring the Resbakuna Campaign to the rural areas. Syngenta will use its social media, traditional media, and on-ground platforms and networks to reach agricultural workers and rural Filipino families at no cost to the government. In this way, Syngenta supports the Task Group COVID-19 Vaccine Demand Generation and Risk Communication’s vision of spreading COVID 19 vaccine awareness through the Resbakuna Campaign.

This project aligns with Syngenta’s key pillar of ensuring health and safety throughout the agricultural supply chain. Farmers are essential workers, working tirelessly to bring food to the table of every Filipino family, especially during this global crisis. As such, Filipino farmers must also be given the utmost protection as they do their work.

“We appreciate our farmers’ tireless work throughout this pandemic to ensure that there will be food for our tables. To end this pandemic, every eligible Filipino needs to be vaccinated. We are very thankful for Syngenta’s generous offer to connect us to our farming communities. Through this partnership, we hope to support our farmers and their families to arrive at an informed decision about COVID-19 vaccines.” said Director Beverly Ho of the Health Promotion Bureau of the Department of Health.

“We are grateful to DOH for this opportunity to work with them to promote Resbakuna in the rural areas. We are one with the DOH-HPB’s efforts to increase vaccine confidence through the dissemination of correct information,” said Syngenta Philippine’s President Jet Parma.

It is important at this time for the private and public sectors to and work together towards addressing this global crisis. By coming together, Syngenta Philippines and the DOH will protect the lives of our farmers, ensure their safety, and secure the health of the nation.