Policy lessons on fruits and vegetables from the Philippine high-value crops and organic agriculture programs

Low fruit and vegetable consumption is a major dietary risk factor globally, yet many countries, including the Philippines, under-prioritize this sector compared to staple crops. This study analyses the policy context for fruits and vegetables in the Philippines, focusing on the implementation of two key programs of the Department of Agriculture-the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP)-to identify enabling factors, challenges, and transferable lessons for strengthening fruit and vegetable policy. Guided by policy learning and multiple streams theory, 44 key informant interviews were conducted with stakeholders across government, civil society, academia, and the private sector. The findings reveal that the HVCDP and NOAP offer complementary and mutually reinforcing strengths in supporting the fruit and vegetable sector. Both programs demonstrate effectiveness through multi-level and vertically integrated governance. HVCDP contributes through its emphasis on infrastructure investment and crop-specific planning, while NOAP strengthens the system through an end-to-end value chain approach, including capacity building, peer-to-peer learning, and accessible certification mechanisms tailored to smallholder organic producers. Despite these strengths, both programs face challenges, including policy fragmentation, inconsistent funding, research-farmer disconnects, limited market development, and insufficient technical support. We recommend five areas for enhancement: strengthening policy coordination through integrated frameworks, improving funding allocation, enhancing research-farmer linkages, developing market systems, and strengthening extension services. These insights contribute to knowledge on effective fruit and vegetable policies within food systems frameworks, offering guidance for similar contexts seeking to improve nutrition outcomes through greater policy prioritization of fruits and vegetables.