The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) recently conducted a field visit as part of the monitoring and evaluation of the project, “Development of Decision Support System for Enhancing Climate Change Resiliency of Smallholder Upland Farmers in Selected Communities of CALABARZON.”
The PCAARRD monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team headed by Dr. Engelbert R. Lalican, PCAARRD’s Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager for Climate Change, was accompanied by Dr. Roberto G. Visco, Project Leader; Project Consultants Dr. Marco A. Galang and For. Rowena Esperanza D. Cabahug; and other project researchers.
The project team showed the installed portable data logging rain gauge and drop environment sensor. These equipment can provide data on drop temperature, relative humidity (RH), heat index, and dew point. According to project staff Prof. Romnick Baliton, the team downloads data from this instrument monthly. Climatic data are also recorded on a daily basis. Safety and security of the said equipment were assured since it was installed near the house of the Barangay Captain.
PCAARRD visited the seven-hectare coffee-based (Robusta coffee) agroforestry farm in Brgy. Concepcion Banahaw, Sariaya, Quezon. The site is intercropped with coconut, pepper, ginger, and some perennial crops. According to land owner Mr. Wilfredo Marcuap, they earn at least PhP3,500 per sack of dried coffee.
PCAARRD also visited the 10-hectare coffee-based (Excelsa and Robusta coffee) agroforestry farm owned by Mrs. Germinia Marcuap in the same barangay. Mrs. Marcuap emphasized that hands-on training on the production (from planting to harvesting) is necessary for sustainable management of their cropland.
Tagging and inventory of supplies and equipment were also conducted by PCAARRD, assuring that the budget allocated for the said supplies and equipment is in line with the approved LIB.
Falling under PCAARRD’s strategic research and development banner program, this project aims to develop a decision support system that will lead towards building climate change resilient farming communities in CALABARZON. Continuous monitoring and site visits will be conducted by PCAARRD for the remaining project sites.