promoting sustainable development via agroforestry

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Received: October , , Accepted: November ,

* Corresponding author: Institute of Agroforestry, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los

Banos, College, Laguna, Philippines.

Tel/Fax: , E-mail: llt @yahoo.com

Director and University Researcher II, Institute of Agroforestry, University of the Philippines

Los Banos, College Laguna, Philippines

In this paper we argue that sustainable natural resource management is the key to sustainable development.

Sustainable natural resource management can only be achieved if environmental stability, socioeconomic

productivity, and social acceptability are all achieved. We also argue that agroforestry is a strategy that can help

achieve sustainable development in the Philippines.

Agroforestry is a land use management system that combines the production of woody perennials and

agricultural crops, which may also include livestock husbandry or aquaculture, with the aim of meeting both

ecological and economic objectives. From what began as a simple farm practice, agroforestry has evolved into

a field of science and academic discipline.

We highlight the historical developments and milestones in the progression of agroforestry as a develop-

ment strategy and in agroforestry education programs in the Philippines. Agroforestry education and training

developed in response to the need to rehabilitate and restore degraded upland environments. Programs in this

field aim to train and produce people equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to promote the

science and practice of agroforestry at all levels to promote sustainable natural resources management.

Because of the immense potential of agroforestry as a development strategy, a number of local development

organizations have expressed the need for trained workers who are equipped with knowledge and skills in

various aspects of agroforestry. However, fewer students are selecting agroforestry education programs.

Finally, in this paper we claim that there is a clear link between agroforestry education and sustainable

development. Agroforestry addresses the socioeconomic production needs of farmers, while at the same time

ensuring environmental stability. These are the prime concepts of sustainable development.

: natural resources management, forest conservation, community participation, capacity building

ment on forested uplands (del Castillo, ). Dur-

misuse, and mismanagement of the country’s natu-

ral resources.

Until the s, the Philippine Government em-

The Philippines is an archipelago located in ployed a regulatory and punitive approach to coun-

Southeast Asia with rich natural resources compris- tering forest destruction and residential encroach-

ing large mountainous tracts of tropical forest,

mineral deposits, and a long coastline providing ac- ing the s, the government’s policy on forest

cess to marine resources. However, the Philippines occupancy and the traditional upland farming method

experiences endemic urban and rural poverty and known as or slash-and-burn farm-

numerous problems related to environmental man- ing, shifted to a more development-focused and

agement. The combination of poverty and pop- people-oriented approach (del Castillo, ). This

ulation pressure has led to various forms of abuse, approach embraced the concept of actively seeking

Lutgarda L. Tolentino* and Leila D. Landicho

Journal of Developments in Sustainable Agriculture : ( )

kaingin-making,

Key words

Promoting Sustainable Development via Agroforestry Education:

Lessons and Experiences from the Philippines

Recognition of Agroforestry in

Promoting Sustainable Development

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Tolentino and Landicho: Lessons from Agroforestry in the Philippines

agricultural (Leakey as cited by Carandang

years, and often many more, before any direct bene-

the participation of forest occupants in protecting The definition of agroforestry has evolved over

and conserving forest resources. time. Today, agroforestry is viewed as a dynamic,

Forestry Administrative Order No. , known as ecologically based, natural resource management

the Kaingin Management and Land Settlement system that integrates trees on farms as a means to

Regulations, was issued in and emphasized diversify and sustain production within landscapes

site-based management on the part of forest occu- that can be predominantly forest or predominantly

pants in upland areas. This regulation led to the

implementation of the Revised Forestry Code of ). Lasco and Visco ( ) defined agro-

the Philippines in , which prescribed that agroforestry as a production system that has two or

forestry management be adopted in occupied fore- more species of plants (with or without animals), at

stlands. A number of development-oriented and least one of which is a woody perennial; two or

people-oriented forestry programs were imple- more outputs; a cropping system that is always

mented by the Department of Environment and longer than a -year cycle; and is characterized by

Natural Resources (DENR) over the years follow- significant interactions between woody and non-

ing enactment of the new code (Table ). woody components. Bene ( ) argue that

Tolentino ( ) assessed the demand for agroforestry, as a sustainable land use management

agroforestry competency in the Philippines. They system, can increase the overall yield of the land. It

surveyed some institutions involved in delivering can produce direct benefits such as food, fodder,

sustainable natural resources management pro- feed for fish and livestock, fuel, fiber, poles and

grams and found that the most common type of timber, and other products such as gums, latex, oil,

project or activity was some form of agroforestry and herbal medicines. Likewise, it can provide

development. Other projects and activities that oc- indirect benefits or “service roles” such as soil and

curred with high frequency were reforestation and water conservation, improved soil fertility, micro-

regreening, watershed management, upland devel- climate amelioration, live fencing, and many more.

opment, and community-based forest management. These multiple direct and indirect benefits have

Many of the current reforestation projects funded obviously expanded the role of agroforestry over a

by the Development Bank of the Philippines and wide range of land use contexts. It integrates the

being undertaken by local governments, academic features of both agriculture and forestry and may

institutions, and people’s organizations also em- have arisen specifically to address the need for

brace agroforestry. Non-government organizations environmental stability and economic productivity

(NGOs) include agroforestry as a module when in environmentally vulnerable settings. Thus, agro-

delivering capacity-building programs in the field of forestry as a land use may have emerged to respond

natural resources management. These facts show to the needs of society that were not addressed by

that agroforestry development and promotion are a agriculture and forestry.

major priority in the programs and activities of Agroforestry is also a production system that can

most of the public and non-government develop- contribute to the mitigation of and adaptation to

mental organizations in the Philippines. climate change. Agroforestry systems can store five

times more carbon from the atmosphere than tradi-

tional croplands (International Food Policy Re-

Agriculture is the production of crops in mono- search Institute, ).

culture or crop-combinations; trees play no integral

role other than perhaps as windbreaks and bound-

aries. Forestry is the production of trees, with no

role for agricultural crops. Hence, people who are The accumulation of a body of knowledge on

engaged in agriculture produce only products from agroforestry and the recognition of agroforestry as

crops, and people engaged in forestry produce only a strategy to overcome environmental degradation

timber products that usually take a minimum of while sustaining livelihoods in upland communities

prompted research and educational institutions in

fits are obtained. the Philippines to implement formal and non-

et al.,

et al.,

et al.

et al.

Emergence and Evolution of Agroforestry Edu-

cation Programs

How agroforestry practice di ers from agriculture

and forestry

9

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J. Dev. Sus. Agr. ( )10

estlands into productive farmlands to provide economi-

The Upland Development Program was launched hand-

socioeconomic conditions of forest occupants and com-

Timeline of people-oriented forestry programs in the Philippines (DENR, ; www.denr.gov.ph)

Year ofPeople-oriented forestry program Brief description

implementation

Family Approach to Reforestation This program was designed to help raise the living

conditions of upland farmers and those living near

forestlands. It was a -year contract program o ered

to families to hasten the reforestation e orts of the

government by allowing them to plant trees in cleared

forestlands, intercrop trees with agricultural crops,

and harvest their crops within the contract period.

Communal Tree Farm (CTF) The CTF prioritized the development of degraded for-

cally viable landholdings to participating farmers who

would rehabilitate open and denuded forestlands.

Participating families were given a -year CTF cer-

tificate, renewable for another years, and a package

of incentives such as tax exemption on produce, no

government share of the income from agroforestry

plantations, and technical assistance for implementa-

tion of income-generating projects.

Integrated Social Forestry The ISFP was launched to maximize upland produc-

Program (ISFP) tivity, enhance ecological stability, and improve the

munities. The ISFP was expected to democratize the

use of public lands and promote a more equitable

distribution of forest bounty through stewardship

principles.

Upland Development Program

in-hand with the ISFP to facilitate the participatory

approach to promoting sustainable upland develop-

ment.

National Forestation Program This program was designed to rehabilitate denuded

forestlands and provide income opportunities to up-

land communities through the reforestation of open

lands and rehabilitation of denuded watersheds for

sustained production of wood and other products for

wood-based industries;

Community Forestry Program This program allowed people’s organizations to ex-

(CFP) tract, process, and sell forest products for years; the

program is renewable for another years.

Community-Based Forest The CBFM integrated and unified all people-oriented

Management Program (CBFM) forestry activities of the ISFP, CFP, Coastal Environ-

ment Program, and Ancestral Domains. This program

entitled forest communities to use and develop the

forestland and resources for years with the active

participation of the DENR and local government units.

Upland Agroforestry Program The new Upland Agroforestry Program (UAfP) allows

qualified Filipino individuals, organizations, corpo-

rations, cooperatives, association, NGOs, etc. to apply

forestlands of hectors and above in order to es-

tablish and develop agroforestry farms and planta-

tions.

Table .

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Tolentino and Land

in Agroforestry Entrepreneurship/Bachelor in Agro-

The BSA-AF program is a -year program in agri-

formal education programs in agroforestry. As Agroforestry (CHED Memorandum Order No. ,

early as , the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial ). This memorandum prescribes all SCUs of-

State University (DMMMSU) in La Union, Philip- fering agroforestry education programs to o er

pines started o ering a -year degree program lead- only the BS Agroforestry program e ective from

ing to a Bachelor of Science in Agroforestry in school year .

partnership with the University of the Philippines A number of non-formal training programs in

Los Banos (UPLB) as part of a Institutional Assis- agroforestry are being provided by UPLB. These

tance Program of the then Ministry of Education training programs include: (a) Agroforestry Pro-

and Culture-Technical Panel for Agriculture Edu- ject Planning and Management, (b) Soil and Water

cation. The Institutional Assistance Program en- Conservation and Management, (c) Agroforestry

abled DMMMSU to implement the program with Seed Technology and Nursery Management, (d)

technical assistance and capacity-building pro- Technology Verification through On-farm Trials,

grams provided by UPLB. The number of state (e) Integrated Pest Management, and (f) Agro-

colleges and universities (SCUs) o ering agrofor- forestry Production and Post-Production Systems.

estry education programs has increased to as of The UPLB also provides research and development

year . The greatest proliferation was observed programs in agroforestry.

in the mid- s, when people-oriented forestry Carandang ( ) noted that the o ering

programs were being intensively promoted. Fig. of various agroforestry education programs in the

shows the geographical distribution of SCUs en- Philippines is anchored in the belief that practition-

gaged in agroforestry education. ers of agroforestry play an important role in the

Not only have agroforestry schools proliferated conservation and management of natural resources.

but also the types of agroforestry education. Among Thus, the state colleges and universities that are

the agroforestry curricula that are available in the strategically located close to upland areas subject to

Philippines are the: (a) Bachelor of Science in Ag- deforestation and degradation perceived the need

riculture with a major in Agroforestry (BSA-AF); to produce human resources capable of performing

(b) Bachelor of Science in Forestry with a major in this function.

Agroforestry (BSF-AF); (c) BS Agroforestry; (d) Agroforestry education is the process of produc-

Bachelor in Agroforestry Entrepreneurship (gradu- ing human resources imbued with competencies

ally being phased out); (e) Bachelor in Agrofor- in the science, art, and practice of producing and

estry Technology; and f) Certificate/Diploma in maximizing the positive ecological and economic

Agroforestry; and (f) Master of Science in Agro- interactions between the woody perennials and ag-

forestry. ricultural crops and animals produced on the same

unit of land (Policy, Standards and Guidelines for

culture with a specialization in agroforestry, where- BS Agroforestry, ). Furthermore, the PSG for

as the BSF-AF is a four-year program in forestry BS Agroforestry states that agroforestry education

with a specialization in agroforestry. The Bachelor is anchored in the belief that “an educated human

resource can be an instrument for harmonizing and

forestry Technology are skills-oriented agroforestry unifying the interaction and synergy between peo-

programs that are aimed at building entrepre- ple and the soil upon which agroforestry crops are

neurial skills in students studying agroforestry farm grown to raise the economic status of the people

establishment. The MS Agroforestry is a -year and sustain the environment”. The essence of this

graduate program aimed at providing advanced unity is dynamically embedded in the individual’s

knowledge and skills in agroforestry. context, culture, environment, and changing con-

The proliferation of agroforestry schools and tingencies. The agroforestry program was formu-

curricula raises questions about the consistency of lated in the belief that the environment is the con-

quality. Thus, to standardize program implementa- text in which agroforestry occurs. Agroforestry

tion, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) education program embodies a commitment to care

through the Taskforce on Agroforestry Education for the environment even as its resources are being

developed a set of minimum standards for the BS mustered for socioeconomic productivity. Within

et al.

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icho: Lessons from Agroforestry in the Philippines 11

J. Dev. Sus. Agr. ( )

this context of caring, the program also places value ing, and the ability to critique and construct knowl-

on the quality of human life. This is the philosophy edge as faculty and students engage in the mutual

behind CHED’s formal recognition of the BS in search for meaning and understanding in profes-

Agroforestry in . sional agroforestry.

The curricular framework of the BS Agrofor-

estry program covers units of core agroforestry

The curriculum is process-based and is anchored courses, units of major courses, and a thesis

in the observation that the practice of agroforestry (Table ). These courses are neither pure agricul-

is predicated on critical thinking, analytical reason- ture nor pure forestry, but the integration of both

The Framework of the BS Agroforestry Program in

the Philippines

12

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Impact evaluation of ASPECTS in Mindanao project site, Philippines.


areas. From to , a collaborative project en-

research and extension (non-formal education) pro-

along with social science and economics. tion are located within regions containing vast

This framework calls for an interdisciplinary and upland areas subject to forest or watershed degra-

multidisciplinary orientation, pooling the expertise dation because of the pressures of human settle-

of the faculty members of various disciplines, par- ment. These SCUs began to o er agroforestry edu-

ticularly agriculture, forestry, agroforestry, envi- cation programs based on the perceived need for

ronmental science, management, economics, and rehabilitating these upland areas. Through their

sociology, to develop a more relevant, responsive,

and integrative agroforestry curriculum. grams, the adoption of agroforestry technologies

Recognizing the importance of agroforestry in and practices were enhanced in their respective

delivering economic and ecological stability, a body

of scientists, academics, and agroforestry advocates titled Agroforestry Support Program for Empower-

recognized the need to advance scientific knowl- ing Communities Towards Self-Reliance (ASPECTS)

edge in this field. Their coordinated e orts led to was implemented in the three major island groups

the creation of the Philippine Agroforestry Educa- of the Philippines (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao).

tion and Research Network (PAFERN), a formal This program was implemented in collaboration

organization of state colleges, universities, and other with the three SCUs o ering agroforestry educa-

institutions actively engaged in agroforestry education programs in each of these regions. A follow-up

tion and research. PAFERN was formally estab- study conducted by Palma ( ) to gauge the

lished to institutionalize the strong links existing impact of the program indicated that the farmers in

between and among institutions to strengthen the Mindanao who previously monocropped tomatoes

quality of agroforestry education in the country. have transformed their land into agroforestry farms

The major milestones of agroforestry education producing a variety of annual and perennial crops.

development in the Philippines are found in Table . The agroforestry systems now being practiced in-

clude alley cropping, planting of natural vegetative

strips, woodlots, and aquasilviculture. At the Luzon

and Visayas project sites, pre-existing agroforestry

farms that adopted alley cropping and multistorey

systems have been enhanced as farmers have ap-

plied at home the skills they learned in training

Most of the SCUs engaged in agroforestry educa- courses and cross-farm visits. Community demon-

Enhanced agroforestry adoption among upland farm-

ing communities in the Philippines

13

Contents of the Bachelor of Science in Agroforestry as prescribed by Memorandum Order

No. , , of the Philippine Commission on Higher Education

Core courses Major courses

Introduction to Agroforestry Community Organizing and Development in Agroforestry

Agroforestry Nursery and Plantation Systems Appraisal and Design in Agroforestry

Agroforestry Taxonomy Managing Agroforestry Projects

Agroforestry Physiology Agroforestry Policies and Programs

Surveying and Mapping with GIS Agroforestry Production Systems

Ecology for Agroforestry Soil and Water Conservation

Agroforestry Enterprise Management

Agroforestry Research Methods

Agroforestry Extension Models and Approaches

Seminar in Agroforestry

Thesis in Agroforestry

Table .

The Role of Agroforestry Education

and Training in Promoting

Sustainable Development

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Lobbying for the Professionalization of Agro-

Multisectoral workshop on agroforestry cur-

included few sta development opportunities; few teach-

ing sta ; lack of basic references; insu cient on-campus

of agroforestry education, particularly capacity-building

Milestones in agroforestry education development in the Philippines

Year Milestones/Significant Developments Impacts/Outcome

Revision of the Forestry Code (Presidential Promoted agroforestry development in the management

Decree No. ) of occupied public forestlands

O ering of the Bachelor of Science in Agro- Training and production of human resources equipped

forestry with the knowledge and skills in agroforestry

Issuance of Ministry of Education, Culture Encouraged the state colleges and universities to o er

and Sports (MECS) Order No. , , pre- agroforestry as an optional major in the traditional pro-

scribing the minimum standards for the BS grams of agriculture and forestry

Agriculture major in Agroforestry and the

BS Forestry major in Agroforestry

Establishment of the University of the Phil- Opened training opportunities in agroforestry to tech-

ippines Los Banos Agroforestry Program nicians, extension workers, teachers, and researchers

from academic institutions, NGOs, government agen-

cies, community organizations, and private organiza-

tions. Subjects included agroforestry project planning

and management, agroforestry production and post-

production systems, soil and water conservation and

management, technology verification through on-farm

trials, seed technology, and nursery management.

Led to widely accepted specific definition of agrofor-

riculum development organized by the Uni- estry in the Philippines and paved the way for the in-

versity of the Philippines Los Banos stitution of curricula leading to the post-baccalaureate

Diploma in Agroforestry

Implementation of the Philippine Agrofor- Revealed the institutional issues, needs, and challenges

estry Education Needs Assessment being faced by the state colleges and universities of-

(PHILAFENA) fering agroforestry education programs. These issues

and o -campus laboratory areas; lack of research and

extension programs; outdated minimum standards; lack

of minimum standards for the BS Agroforestry pro-

gram; limited employment opportunities for the BS

Agroforestry graduates; and the need to expand link-

ages.

First National Workshop on Agroforestry Gave way for the establishment of an informal coalition

Education of agroforestry schools called the Philippine Agrofor-

estry Education and Research Network (PAFERN)

Formalization of PAFERN Formal recognition of PAFERN as a channel to convey

the issues and concerns being faced by the agroforestry

schools and to serve as the core organization respon-

sible for addressing the issues and development needs

of teaching sta , provision of basic references, assis-

tance in improving on-campus learning laboratories,

launching policy advocacy programs, and helping agro-

forestry schools gain access to information

Aimed at widening the employment opportunities for

forestry Practice in the Philippines agroforestry graduates and lead towards recognizing

agroforestry as a discipline distinct from agriculture

and forestry

Issuance of the Commission on Higher Edu- Standardized the o ering of the BS Agroforestry pro-

cation (CHED) Memorandum Order No. , gram and serves as a mechanism to control the pro-

stipulating the guidelines and minimum liferation of agroforestry schools and programs

standards for the o ering of the BS Agro-

forestry program

Table .

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Training impact and needs assessment was conducted by the UPLB-Institute of Agroforestry among its selected training alumni


stration farms that integrate high-value fruit-tree impact assessment that indicated that the knowl-

crops and annual crops have been established, while edge and skills of these trainees improved. En-

the agroforestry farms belonging to farmer-trainers hanced knowledge and skills in agroforestry on the

have also been improved through the adoption of part of these educators and researchers implies a

better agroforestry technologies. better delivery of research and extension services to

The UPLB-Institute of Agroforestry (UPLB- their target clientele, and better implementation of

IAF) assessed a selection of its training alumni and the institutional programs and mandates on agro-

found that most of their project sites had advanced forestry. Agroforestry graduates have likewise been

beyond the demonstration and early adoption stage formally developed. Del Castillo ( )

of the agroforestry technologies and were moving reported that agroforestry graduates employed in

towards the establishment stage; some had already non-government and government organizations

reached the production and maintenance stage (In- usually perform the following tasks: (a) planning

stitute of Agroforestry, ). and establishment of agroforestry projects, (b)

community organizing and development, (c) im-

plementation of community-based forest manage-

The short-term training courses that were im- ment, (d) development of project proposals, (e)

plemented by the then UPLB Agroforestry Pro- soil and water management, (f) monitoring and

gram (now the Institute of Agroforestry) as early evaluation of agroforestry-related projects, (g)

as enhanced the technical capabilities of the teaching agroforestry courses in formal degree pro-

extension sta involved in agroforestry promotion. grams, and (h) agroforestry advocacy.

The UPLB-IAF conducted a study in that

indicated that the knowledge of trainees on in-

tegrated farming systems, crop diversification, and

organic farming was enhanced. In addition, the The agroforestry training courses require partic-

trainees gained confidence in providing technical ipants to prepare an indicative plan to be imple-

assistance to the farmers in the field and had their mented upon return to their respective home insti-

knowledge on environmental conservation tech- tutions. Consequently, training alumni either im-

niques enriched. At the field level, the implementa- proves their agroforestry education, research and

tion of their re-entry plans enabled the trainee development activities or integrates agroforestry in

farmers to conduct farm planning, establish nur- the existing programs of their respective institu-

series, develop their agroforestry farms, further tions into their development programs. In addi-

diversify crops, strengthen the local people’s organ- tion, collaborative projects between agroforestry

izations, and create awareness among other farmers schools and local development organizations have

about the use of organic fertilizers. The re-entry enhanced the latter’s recognition of agroforestry

plans are the indicative plans that serve as the and led them to incorporate it into their programs.

major outputs of the participants of the agrofor- With institutions in the Philippines incorporat-

estry training courses. These plans should be im- ing agroforestry into their programs and mandates,

plemented by the training alumni upon return to and even banks implementing sustainable natural

their respective home institutions. resources management programs, agroforestry has

become one of the main production technologies.

From to , the UPLB-IAF trained From to , a total of hectares and

development workers from NGOs, government farmer beneficiaries became partners with the

agencies, research institutions, people’s organiza- Development Bank of the Philippines in rehabilitat-

tions, and private organizations. A total of ing forests and mangrove forests via agroforestry

researchers and agroforestry teaching sta were (Pagkanlungan, ).

trained in specialized agroforestry courses from

to . The Institute conducted a training

et al.

Improved knowledge and skills of agroforestry prac-

titioners

A mechanism for local government units and other

agencies to integrate agroforestry into development

programs

Development of a pool of advocates for agroforestry

15

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cultural interactions, projects dealt with the

documentation of indigenous agroforestry systems,

The regular national and regional congresses projects concerned the economics of agrofor-

organized by PAFERN have enabled many local, estry, and projects studied the sustainability using

national, and international organizations to discuss indigenous species for hedgerows. These numbers

agroforestry advocacy issues. These congresses have do not include undergraduate and graduate theses.

also served as venues for information exchange and

promotion and development of agroforestry. More

importantly, they have provided opportunities for

awareness building, linkage building, and the devel-

opment of policy instruments in the form of resolu- Among the eight Millenium Development Goals

tions that have helped institutionalize agroforestry (http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml) to be

as a development strategy in the Philippines. achieved within the next decade are the eradication

of poverty, the eradication of hunger, and environ-

As a recognized educational discipline, agrofor- mental security. The science of agroforestry can

estry calls for continuous research to contribute to contribute to the achievement of these goals. Hence,

the body of knowledge. Carandang ( ) agroforestry curricular programs must be respon-

noted that the scientific community in the Philip- sive to the needs of modern society.

pines has performed numerous research and devel- Approximately million Filipinos live in the

opment studies on agroforestry that have lent the uplands and about million hectares of degraded

respectability of a science. Academic and research uplands need to be made productive and ecolog-

institutions, private organizations, NGOs, and even ically stable (Mancebo, ). As these people re-

peoples’ organizations have all contributed to the present almost of the nation’s population

advancement of agroforestry as a science in the (NSO, as cited by Mancebo, ), a major

country. PCARRD, as cited by Carandang part of the country is in need of improved socioeco-

) reported that studies examined the un- nomic welfare and the arrest of environmental deg-

derlying biological and physical processes of agro- radation (Mancebo, ).

forestry technologies and practices, projects fo- Tolentino ( ) identified institutions

cused on the promotion of agroforestry systems, that expressed a need for agroforestry graduates.

projects dealt with agroforestry systems and socio- In the next years, these institutions would likely

et al.

et

al.,

et al.

Participation of various stakeholders in agroforestry

advocacy

Improved science of agroforestry

16

Projected demand for agroforestry graduates in the next years

Respondent-TOTAL

institutions Sub- Sub- Sub-Male Female Male Female Male Female

total total total

DENR

LGU

DA

AI

NGO

Total

Source: Tolentino ( ).

Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Local government units.

Department of Agriculture.

Academic institutions.

Non-government organizations.

et al.

Table .

Prospects for the Contribution of

Agroforestry Education to

Sustainable Development

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employ about agroforestry graduates (Table the new Policy, Standards and Guidelines (PSG)

). This suggests that around agroforestry for BS Agroforestry, one of the minimum require-

graduates per year are likely to be employed in na- ments that an institution must meet to be certified

tional government agencies, local governments, ac- to o er the BS Agroforestry program is that at least

ademic institutions, and NGOs. While these num- six faculty members must have advanced degrees in

bers do not guarantee employment for all graduates agroforestry.

from the PAFERN institutions o ering agro- Despite the projected demand for agroforestry

forestry programs and specializations, they are graduates, enrollment trends across all levels of

enough to encourage students to pursue agrofor- agroforestry curricular programs have generally

estry as a career, and the number is actually likely been decreasing (Table ). This finding validates

to be an underestimate because some institutions earlier studies and observations (Carandang

may not have responded to the survey (Tolentino ; Landicho and Fernandez, ) that interest

). The DENR was the organization with among students in agriculture and forestry sciences

the greatest reported need for agroforestry gradu- is declining. This trend also holds true in other

ates in the next years. Southeast Asian countries and other parts of the

The respondent institutions indicated biases in world (Rudebjer, ; Temu and Kiwia,

the types of agroforestry graduates they were look- ). The declining enrollment in agroforestry

ing for (Table ). The DENR respondents pre- education programs is attributed to the perceived

ferred forestry graduates with a major in agrofor- lack of employment opportunities for graduates

estry and only a few graduates from full-degree (Landicho ). Students are now more inclined

programs in agroforestry. The Department of Ag- to take programs such as information technology

riculture preferred agriculture graduates with a ma- and nursing. In addition, the lack of financial sup-

jor in agroforestry. These two national government port in the form of scholarships discourages some

agencies likely preferred those types of graduates students from studying agriculture and allied pro-

because the positions of forester and agriculturist grams (Carandang ).

already exist in the DENR and Department of The challenge for agroforestry advocates is to

Agriculture, respectively. Graduates in either dis- continually review the educational programs and

cipline possessing a specialization in agroforestry forces influencing student course selection and

would be considered to hold added value over the adopt strategies that will increase student recruit-

basic position of forester or agriculturalist. ment to ensure a steady supply of the human re-

The academic institutions that responded to the sources ultimately needed for promoting sustaina-

survey preferred graduates with an advanced de- ble development.

gree from an agroforestry program. As specified in

et al.,

et

al.,

et al.,

et al.

et al.,

17

Types of agroforestry graduates preferred by the respondent-institutions

Frequency ( )**Type of Agroforestry Graduate Total

DENR DA NGO LGU AI

Graduate of a full-degree program in AF

Agriculture graduates with specializationin agroforestry

Forestry graduates with specialization inagroforestry

Professionals with advanced knowledgein agroforestry (MS/PhD)

Agroforestry graduates with entrepreneurialcompetencies who can manage agroforestryfarms

Source: Tolentino ( ); ** multiple responses.

n

et al.

Table .

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Bene, J., Beall, H. and Cote, A., . Trees, Food and

People: Land Management in the Tropics. Internation-

al Development Research C enter, (IDRC), Ottawa,

Canada.

Carandang, W.M., Villancio, V.T., Landicho, L.D. and

Visco, R.G., . Philippine Agroforestry: Quo Vadis?

Paper presented during the Visayas Agroforestry

Congress, November , , Guimbal, Iloilo, Phil-

ippines.

Carandang, M.G., L.D. Landicho, R.T. Andrada, P.L.

Malabrigo and A.M. Angeles, . Demystifying the

State of Forestry Education in the Philippines: Are

Forestry Schools in the Philippines at Par with the

Needs of the Times? Ecosystems and Development

Journal. ( ): ( ). FORESPI, College of Forest-

ry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines

Los Banos, Philippines

Policy, Standards and Guidelines for BS Agroforestry,

. Commission on Higher Education (CHED),

Manila, Philippines.

del Castillo, R.A. R.V. Dalmacio, S.M. Mariano, R.D.

Cabahug and L.D. Landicho, . Setting the Direc-

tions of Education Programs and Human Resources in

Agroforestry. Results of the Study on the Demand and

Placement of Agroforestry Graduates in the Philip-

pines. Institute of Agroforestry and the Southeast

Asian Network for Agroforestry Education. College,

Laguna, Philippines. ISBN - - - .

del Castillo, R.A., . Status and Needs of Agroforestry

Education and Training in the Philippines. In: How

Agroforestry Is Taught in Southeast Asia. PG Re-

dubjer and RA del Castillo (eds). Training and Educa-

tion Report No. . International Centre for Research

in Agroforestry-Southeast Asia, Bogor, Indonesia.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, .

Basic Community Organizing Handbook for Community-

Based Forest Management Programs. DENR-Visayas

Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. ISBN -

- - .


extreme hunger and poverty; and, ensure environ-

mental sustainability.

This paper concludes that agroforestry o ers

great potentials in promoting sustainable develop-

ment in the Philippines. Agroforestry is a sustain-

able land use management system that primarily

aims to address the twin goals of socioeconomic

productivity and ecological stability. The direct

benefits that it provides to individual farmers clear-

ly address the economic dimension. The indirect

benefits from providing environmental services (e.

g., carbon sequestration, improving microclimate,

providing soil erosion control) ensure the ecologi-

cal balance of the whole community.

The science and practice of agroforestry is ulti-

mately geared towards promoting sustainable de-

velopment by improving the socioeconomic pro-

ductivity of the practitioners without sacrificing the

environment, particularly the forest and agricul-

tural resources. Agroforestry is being promoted in

large parts of the Philippines to help rehabilitate

degraded environments, particularly upland areas,

stabilize the soil and microclimatic conditions, and

sequester carbon. These environmental services

provided by agroforestry will in the long run pro-

vide a healthy environment.

The aims of agroforestry practice are consistent

with the concept of sustainable development. As

defined, sustainable development is maintaining a

delicate balance between the human need to im-

prove lifestyles and feeling of well-being, while pre-

serving natural resources and ecosystems on which

the present and the future generations depend

(Srinivas, ). Agroforestry is, therefore, one of

the key strategies to attaining at least two Mille-

nium Development Goals, namely, eradication of

18

Observed enrollment trend in agroforestry education pro-

grams in state colleges and universities in the Philippines

Enrollment trend for the last five yearsAgroforestry education

programsIncreasing Stable Decreasing

Diploma

Bachelor/Baccalaureate

MS/Graduate program

Total

Source: Landicho and Fernandez ( ).

Table .

Conclusion

References

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Mindanao, Philippines. Asia-Pacific Agroforestry News-

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. De- College, Laguna, Philippines ISSN - .

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on-timber forest products in agroforestry systems. forestry, . Assessing Training Impact, Scanning

Non-Wood Forest Products . Rome, FAO. pp. Training Needs. Results of the Agroforestry Training

Mancebo, S.T., . Shifting the Paradigm of Agroforestry Impact and Needs Assessment (AF-TINA). Founda-

Education in the Post-Modern Society in the Philip- tion for the Philippine Environment (unpublished).

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forestry Congress, November , , Leyte State the Millenium Development Goals? http://www.undp.

University, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines. org/mdg/basics.shtml. (accessed on November , )

Pagkanlungan, E.B., . The DBP-Forest Program: Re- Srinivas, H., . Sustainable development definitions http:

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pine Agroforestry Development News. : . Phil- November , )

ippine Agroforestry Education and Research Network,

Tolentino and Landicho: Lessons from Agroforestry in the Philippines 19

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