The Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance

From Environmental Risk Reduction to Partnerships for Watershed Management and Local Development

Location of the Allah Valley Landscape

Mindanao

Sultan Kudarat

Proclaimed South RAlelavihs eVad lCleoyv Learangdes coafpe Cotabato Allah Valley Landscape

The Allah Valley Landscape

 Area: 261,000 has.  Population : 700,000 mixed tribes (t’boli, manobo, b’laan, , migrants from Luzon and Visayas)  Water Resources: Rivers and Creeks (40), Lakes (4)  Forest area: 163,793 has.,  Protected area: 102,350 has.  Agricultural Production: 195,293 has  Irrigated Riceland: 30,000 has.  Mineral Resources: copper, gold, limestone  Biodiversity: Flora (100 spp.) Fauna (58 spp.) – Philippine eagle, tarsier

Environmental Situation and AVLDA Formation

 Weak enforcement of Forestry laws, leading to massive deforestation. NIA Report cited from ADB Study that of the total Allah Valley watershed forest reserve (102,350has), the open area in 1981 of 12,296 has. increased to 25,354 has. in 2000. (106% increase in forest denudation)  Recurring and intensifying floods along Allah and Banga rivers  Massive siltation of river systems affecting infrastructure  Other Natural disasters (earthquakes and landslides)  Increasing vulnerabilities and risks, which affected mostly the poor sectors  These are the triggering factors that led to the formation of the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLDA) through the Signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) am ong stakeholders in March 2003. The AVLDA

 Objective and goal: the protection and management of the Allah valley landscape towards the goal of improving the socio- economic condition of the people  Areas Covered: Province of (Municipalities of , T’boli, , Sto. Nino, Banga, ) and Province of (City of Tacurong and Municipalities of Isulan, Esperanza, Lambayong, Bagumbayan)  Members: LGUs (13), National Gov’t Agencies (5), NGO Coalition (1)

Institutionalizing the AVLDA

Protected Board of Area Mgt Board (PAMB) Directors

TWG Action Officers PMO (LGUs, NLAs, CSDO)

Institutional General Environment Infrastructure Social Economic Developmen Admin t

The AVLDA Operational Approaches

 Formulated Environmental Management Plan (EMP)  Designed Manual of Operation (MOO)  Daily operation through Project Management Office (PMO)  Board of Directors (BOD) meets quarterly  Technical Working Group (TWG) meets quarterly  LGU Funding contribution of P2.8 million a year for PMO operation  Project Implementation Strategy: Two-pronged 1. Landscape level (broader area) 2. Specific site level (communities)

Land Use Planning

 Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) and AVLDA signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the Landscape Resource Mapping and Community-based Resource Assessment  To address capabilities in updating existing data for planned activities and provide mechanisms for the sustainable management of natural resources within the Allah Valley Landscape using a watershed approach through:  GIS and remote sensing technologies  Participatory Resource Management Methodologies

KEY Aspects: (1) Participation of upland and lowland people (2) Integrating forest use concerns with water utilization issues downstream

Forest Management and Poverty Reduction

 AVLDA is actively involved in the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) and the Provincial Multi- Sectoral Forest Protection Committees (MSFPC)  LGU Members with forest areas have their respective forestland and upland development projects (Co- Management in Lake Sebu)

Focus: Discussion and understanding forestland/upland utilization and lowland dynamics relative to: 1. reduction of environmental risks and 2. emerging opportunities/barriers to income generation and local development through the land use planning activities

AVLDA Current Initiatives

 Increasing participation of community, LGUs and other sectors in watershed approach planning and development  Expanding partnership arrangement with other stakeholders and potential funding partners  Intensifying advocacy and information dissemination on water-related concerns  Developing institutional arrangement to strengthen disaster and environmental resource management  Finding sustainability strategy of AVLDA as a collaborative multi-sectoral organization