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 agro- forestry 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
Fig.
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Impact evaluation of ASPECTS in Mindanao project site, Philippines.
Tolentino and Landicho: Lessons from Agroforestry in the 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 educa- tion 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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J. Dev. Sus. Agr. ( )14
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
Tolentino and Landicho: Lessons from Agroforestry in the Philippines
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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J. Dev. Sus. Agr. ( )
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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Tolentino and Landicho: Lessons from Agroforestry in the Philippines
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 -
- - .
J. Dev. Sus. Agr. ( )
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 - .
partment Administrative Order , Series of . Palma, R.A., . Evaluating the Impacts of ASPECTS in
Guidelines for the Implementation of the Upland Agro-
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/dao/dao - .pdf Pacific. Bangkok, Thailand. ISSN - .
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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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Tolentino and Landicho: Lessons from Agroforestry in the Philippines 19
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