The Agusan Marsh covers an area of 110,069 hectares comprising of lakes, freshwater swamp forest, secondary scrub, herbaceous swamp, pools and rivers, rice paddies and other agricultural land and small settlements. 80% of the 117,683 people (2000) living in the marsh are Indigenous People and mostly belong to the Manobo tribe. Farming, fishing, logging and firewood gathering, hunting and trapping, and gathering of forest products are the main sources of income and livelihood in the area. In recent years, communities in Agusan Marsh have become increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as flooding, drought, pests and disease infestation

The project, also known as the Agusan Marsh Climate Change Adaptation Project or AMCCAP, seeks to address this challenge by increasing capacity of stakeholders in 61 barangays of Agusan Marsh in Agusan del Sur to adapt to adverse impacts of climate change. Implemented by the Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA)-Mindanao, AMCCAP strives to achieve in the next 3 years the following outcomes:

(a) Climate Smart Agriculture Practices adopted;
(b) Local policy support for climate change adaptation strengthened;
(c) Institutional capacity on disaster risk reduction strengthened; and
(d) Climate change adaptation in Agusan Marsh promoted.

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Production of Community-Based Multi-Hazards Map (CB-MHM) using Geographic Information System (GIS), Community-Based Flood Early Warning System (CB-FEWS)
• Training and formation of Para-Technicians, Para-Agro-Meteorologists, Information & Education Campaign (IEC) Actors, and Barangay Emergency Responders
• Establishment of Climate Smart Agri-Aqua-Forestry Demonstration Farms, Climate Smart Farms, Climate Smart Field Schools, Community Seed Banks, Integrated Climate Risk Information & Database System (ICRIDS), Agusan Marsh Agro-Hydrological Information Network (AMAHIN) and Farmer-Based Agro-Meteorological Stations (FBAS)
• Dissemination of IEC materials (i.e., Billboards, Posters & Brochures) on Climate Change Adaptation, and Weekly Radio program
• Training of farmers on Climate Smart Agriculture
• Community Forums on CCA and Disaster Risk Reduction & Management (DRRM)
• Study tour to Agri-Aqua-Forestry Demonstration Farms and to Barangays with CCA strategies and projects
• Information-sharing through the production and dissemination of agronomic monitoring reports, FBAS Bulletins,
• Accreditation of Climate-Smart Agriculture Extensionists by the Barangay Local Government Units
• Development and adoption of laws, policies, strategies, plans or regulations addressing climate change (mitigation or adaptation) by the Barangay Local Government Units

GOAL
Increase climate change resilience in Agusan del Sur

PROJECT OBJECTIVE
Increase the capacity of stakeholders in Agusan Marsh to adapt to climate change

IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD
November 2012-October 2015