Overview
This project aimed to develop an improved ‘model’ for agricultural extension in conflict areas of Mindanao.
Farming households within conflict-vulnerable areas of Mindanao face many challenges to improving their livelihoods including dislocation to farm activities, difficulty in accessing markets, uncertainty about long-term investment in farm infrastructure, lack of social cohesion and isolation from government information and services. The project worked with relatively poor farmers to help improve and diversify their income away from single livelihood mainstays such as mono-cropping of corn and the environmentally destructive practice of charcoal production.
Project outcomes
- Successful livelihood development programs established with farming households and Local Government Unit (LGU) technicians in six pilot communities.
- Tree nursery production and high-value vegetable production developed. Tree nursery activities added 10-20% to farmers’ annual income.
- In each of the pilot sites, the livelihood development program is delivered through an improved model for agricultural extension targeted at assisting agencies.
- Women are taking leadership roles, building trust, maintaining farms and food production, initiating small enterprise and supporting community-based recovery processes.
- Collaborated with the Philippine Council for Agriculture Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development at three new sites adjacent to the ACIAR project sites, to assist scaling-up of the project outcomes at the national government level.
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