Toward the Integration of Agro-Nursing in Philippine Public Health Systems: A Policy Analysis

Jestoni Maniago; Floreliz Ngaya-an; Jennifer Joy Olivar; Leahleonila Tungcul; Oscar Turingan

doi:10.58545/jrcnp.v4i1.670

Authors

Jestoni Maniago School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8603-3094
Floreliz Ngaya-an College of Nursing, University of the Philippines Manila, Philippines https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7079-3550
Jennifer Joy Olivar College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, St. Paul University Manila, Philippines https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3943-8759
Leahleonila Tungcul School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3228-2206
Oscar Turingan School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5902-7089

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58545/jrcnp.v4i1.670

Abstract

Background: The integration of public health and agriculture represents a unique and revolutionary mechanism to create solutions to the problems of malnutrition, hunger and rural health that are prevalent in the Philippines. Purpose: This policy analysis documents the introduction of "agro-nursing" – an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates agriculture into therapeutic health interventions and nutritional care – into the public health system of the Philippines. Methods: The policy analysis uses the Health Policy Triangle as an analytic lens to contend with the content, context, process, and actors associated with the integration of agro-nursing. Results: The results of the policy analysis demonstrate that while there is a policy-oriented window of opportunity, specifically in the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, to enact multi-disciplinary, multi-agency health interventions, the coordination of Agency-level partnerships between the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) must continue to advance. The findings suggest the integration of agro-nursing can create a bridge between clinical care and community food sovereignty, especially amongst climate-affected rural communities. More significantly, the findings show that several issues of policy related to legislation, regulatory scopes of practice, and resource allocation need to be addressed. Conclusion: It is recommended that inter-agency governance be institutionalized, nursing education be supplemented with nutrition-sensitive agriculture components, and pilot models be implemented at the Local Government Unit (LGU) level. By shifting community health from reactive medical care to a proactive ecological health lens, the Philippines could bolster community resilience and sustainable health outcomes.

Keywords:

Agronursing, Primary Health Care, Community health nursing

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