Japan turns over agroforestry support infrastructure in Iloilo
TEN agroforestry support facilities were turned over by Japan in the municipalities of Calinog, Lambunao, and Janiuay, Iloilo on January 26.
The Embassy of Japan First Secretary and Agriculture Attaché Jumpei Tachikawa attended the official turnover of the completed agroforestry support facilities under the Forestland Management Project in Calinog, Iloilo. Present during the event were Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Officer in Charge-Assistant Secretary for Field Operations-Western Mindanao Arleigh Adorable, DENR Regional Executive Director Livino Duran, Calinog Municipal Mayor Francisco Calvo, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Philippines Office Project Formulation Advisor Ryoko Takao.
These facilities include irrigation pipeline systems, access roads, pathways, and bridges which aim to connect communities to markets, boost their access to social services, and help sustain community-based forestry initiatives. A coffee processing facility in January was also constructed to further develop coffee processing and boost livelihood in Iloilo.
This endeavor forms part of the 10-year 9.244-billion-yen Forestland Management Project (FMP) of the government of Japan through the JICA and the DENR.
The FMP seeks to protect 71,300 hectares of forests in the country’s watershed areas Upper Magat and Cagayan River Basins, Pampanga River Basin, and the Jalaur River Basin, covering the provinces of Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, and Iloilo. Launched ten years ago, the FMP highlighted environmental protection including forestland management as one of the major pillars of collaboration between the Philippines and Japan. In his message, Tachikawa expressed his hope that the project will not only contribute to climate change mitigation and environment protection but also to improved livelihoods and sustained flow of development in the municipalities, creating a positive ripple effect in neighboring communities.