Landcare in the Philippines: developing capacities of farmers of the future and their communities

In the Philippines, 20 million people are farming in areas with slopes at gradients of over 18 percent. Biophysical conditions in the uplands vary with soil types, fertility, climate, topography and vegetation within small areas and short dstances. People in the uplands are experiencing dramatic changes in many areas of their survival as they explore development opportunities. Hence, both diversity and change characterize the upland areas. Many upland communities have to deal with insecure land tenure, limited technical skills, unavailability of alternative livelihood, poor access to market and capital and other form of public services, as well as with increasing population pressure. Natural population growth and migration from the lowlands has resulted in farmers cultivating extremely steep slopes and poorer soils, and leaving lands in shorter fallow periods, causing rapid soil erosion and land degradation. Pressure for increased food production for subsistence has pushed agriculture towards unfavorable sloping land, but also to forest margins and forests. On the other hand, some prime agricultural lands have been converted to non-agricultural uses to give way to urbanization. Inappropriate farming practices in these fragile areas have contributed significantly to the degradation of the resource base such as severe soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and sedimentation of downstream areas (Catacutan and Mercado, 2001).

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