Nabua, Camarines Sur - To address the problem of flooding and drought of the three most vulnerable municipalities in the adjoining provinces of Albay and Camarines Sur, a special project to be funded by the USAID was launched in Nabua with the participation of the key players, beneficiaries and various partners institutions at the Macagang Business Center.
The Project entitled: “Water Security under Climate Risks: A Philippine Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for the Agriculture sector “ or simply “Bicol Agri-Water Project” will be implemented for 5 years in the three flood and drought-prone municipalities of Nabua, Buhi in Camarines Sur and Polangui in Albay.
According to Dr. Agnes C. Rola, project director and concurrently dean of the UPLB College of Public Affairs the objectives of this project are : 1) to introduce climate risk management techniques to improve water security and enhance climate resilience in agriculture at farm level; 2) improve water resource management under climate change at the water sheds( or sub basins) scale through development and validation of decision support tools, 3) build capacity of LGU’s for effective water governance, 4) and promote, design and implement climate risk resilient water resource management policy by working with and supporting national l level agricultural policy makers agricultural policy makers.
According to Dr. Elena B. de Los Santos , DA regional technical director for operations and extension and Co-Project Director for this new project this will be an undertaking of various agencies and institution with the Department of Agriculture as the lead national government agency. The UPLB Foundation, Inc. represented by Dr. Rola, the Project Director, is the NGO grantee of the USAID which shall supervise the project implementation. To lend support to the project are the following: Columbia University, Central Bicol State University, Bicol University, College of Agriculture and Forestry (BUCAF), PAGASA, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) NAPOCOR; the provincial government of Albay and Camarines Sur and the LGUs of Nabua, Buhi and Polangui.
DA regional director Jose V. Dayao in his message said that this new project is within the framework of and complements the two other foreign assisted projects on climate risk management and disaster preparedness and enhancing capacities for Disaster Risk Reduction currently being implemented in the region.
The three municipalities which are adjacent to one another were chosen because these areas are most prone to flooding. The waters from Lake Buhi and from Polangui would overflow and settle to Nabua which serves as the catch–basin.
The launching was attended by over 130 farmers leaders and heads and representatives of partner institutions among them: Erica Allis of Columbia University, Joanne Dulce, Climate Change Program Management Specialist of USAID, Director Landrino Dalida, Jr. of Pag-Asa; RTD Pobleo M. Florece of DENR, Dr. Maris Estrella, dean of BUCAF who represented the BU president; Engineer Henry Mabesa who represented the CBSUA president ; Vice-mayor Omar Mercurio of Buhi, Engineer Homer Diokno who represented the NIA regional Manager, provincial agriculturist Ruben Limos of Albay and Josefa Panambo of Camarines Sur; Engr. Reuel de Claro of NAPOCOR, the municipal agriculturists from the 3 pilot municipalities and other officials from CBSUA, BU, DA and the irrigators associations within the project area.
The launching was highlighted by the statement and signing of commitment by the key players, stakeholders and partners. - Emily B. Bordado
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