Paluan and Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro – The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM), through the DENR-UNDP/GEF Biodiversity Corridor Project, successfully established two Sustainable Land Management Exemplar Sites (SLMES) in Occidental Mindoro. The establishment in Sitio Bulakan, Brgy. Harrison, Paluan was conducted on July 13 to 17, 2026 and the establishment of SLMES in Sitio Pambuhan, Brgy. San Vicente, Abra de Ilog on July 20 to 24, 2026. The activities were participated by representatives from the Local Government Units (LGUs) through the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), farmer association members of Neighborhood Shelter Assistance Association (NSAA) of Abra de Ilog and Unlad Magsasaka Agriculture Cooperative (UMAC) of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro, Indigenous Peoples (IPs), project beneficiaries, and LGU-hired laborers from the community. DA-BSWM personnel worked closely with community members and IP farmers, to ensure the proper implementation of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) technologies.
Hands-on demonstrations were conducted on the proper preparation and application of basal fertilizer by combining commercial and organic fertilizers based on recommendation from the soil analysis result. Participants were also oriented on the correct techniques for transplanting seedlings. Throughout the establishment activities, DA-BSWM personnel also supervised and demonstrated the appropriate placement of seedlings into planting holes established along contour lines while guiding IP farmers and beneficiaries on correct planting procedures to ensure high seedling survival and healthy crop establishment.
In Paluan, a total of 311 planting materials were established across 15 contour lines, consisting of 153 banana seedlings, 100 calamansi seedlings, and 58 jackfruit seedlings. Meanwhile, in Abra de Ilog, a total of 1,503 planting materials were established across 29 contour lines and enrichment planting areas, including 800 pineapple crowns, 357 banana corms, 240 calamansi seedlings, 63 cashew seedlings, and 43 jackfruit seedlings following the soil conservation scheme to reduce soil erosion and improve water retention.
The successful establishment of these SLMES was made possible through the collaborative efforts of DA-BSWM, LGUs, farmer associations, Indigenous Peoples, project beneficiaries, and the local community. The exemplar sites will serve as demonstration farms showcasing Sustainable Land Management technologies and practices that support the rehabilitation of degraded agricultural lands, improve soil and water conservation, enhance climate resilience, and contribute to biodiversity conservation within the Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor.
This initiative is part of the DENR-UNDP/GEF project on “Integrated Approach in the Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines” or BD Corridor Project, which seeks to operationalize integrated management of biodiversity corridors to generate multiple benefits, including effective conservation of globally threatened species and high conservation value forests, reduce land degradation and deforestation, promote Sustainable Land Management (SLM), and enhance local biodiversity-friendly livelihoods.
The project is led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with the Sustainable Land Management (SLM) component being implemented by the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF 6). 🧑🏻🌾🌱
