James Reid was spotted on Wednesday in Nueva Ecija, fulfilling his duties as the Department of Agriculture’s celebrity ambassador for food security.
The actor-singer even gave a speech, calling farmers and fisherfolk in attendance as the “backbone of this country’s economy” but whose “hard work often goes unnoticed.”
James said as ambassador, he hopes his service will give them “more support, credit and respect.”
He added that he supports any moves that will make the country more agriculture-driven.
“Initiatives like this will encourage the youth like my team, The Freshest, to be more involved in agriculture,” he said in a video shared by DA Central Luzon’s Facebook page.
According to DA Secretary William Dar, James will also be heavily involved soon in the department’s campaign to encourage Metro Manila households to grow their own produce by giving them starter kits.
James’ visit to Nueva Ecija was also to grace a ceremonial harvesting of vegetables by farmer beneficiaries of Sa Palay at Gulay, may Ani, Hanapbuhay, Oportunidad, at Nutrisyon (PAG-AHON) project.
Led by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), PAG-AHON was launched last May to diversify the produce of rice farmers to enable them to survive the pandemic.
It was also last May when James surprised fans by announcing that he would be working with the DA as its food security ambassador.
Sec. Dar said that the actor, who is also busy running his own record company Careless Music Manila, was doing it pro bono.
“I’m very new to the world of agriculture but it’s my passion of sustainability that has brought me here. It’s my privilege to use my voice to support farmers and fisherfolks in the Philippines,” James explained back then when he was introduced as food security envoy.
