Why is land use what it is?

Wahig-Inabanga SouthEast Asia Mean annual Watershed Rainfall: ~2,000

The watershed communities are composed of native Boholanos and an indigenous tribe of the Eskaya in the upland mountains of Pilar Town. The most common agricultural produce of the communities are rice, corn, cassava, ube, vegetables and fruit trees. The land is predominantly rolling hills with a composite of parent soil materials. Among the soil parent material identified are: (i) limestone; (ii) recent alluvium; (iii) shale/sandstone and; (iv) volcanic (Figure 1).

• Agricultural This enables the development on sloping protection of the forest lands of the island is reserve as well as largely driven by the developes sustainable Figure 1. Parent Soil Representation of Household survey (ACIAR Project, 2014) increasing population, agriculture practice. demand for food and • This is also supported by Wahig-Inabanga livelihood security. an extensive water Watershed is 65,000 • One of the prominent reservoir which has an hectares of land area driver of development is estimated discharge of which covers a total of 16 geared towards meeting 1.5 million metric ton municipalities in the island the demand and during the wet seasons province of . Majority catering to foreign and and decreases to of the economic activities local tourism, which 600,000 in the dry in the area is agricultural averaged 566,652 season, enabling rice land which is supported by tourists coming in 2011. production to increase • the largest water reservoir To maximize income substantially. from tourism, various • Rice sufficiency has in the organizations have increased enough for Region, Malinao Dam in developed ecotourism exportation, Korean Pilar, Bohol. The main and adventure parks in Milling Company have produce are rice, root crops the watershed area. invested on post-harvest and corn. facilities in 2012.

Photo Credits: Mick Phansione, 2011

Contacts: Rodel D. Lasco, PhD, [email protected]; Marya Laya O. Espaldon, [email protected]