ARMM and DENR national ink MOA on Upland Development Program

Cotabato City – The Autonomous Regional Government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) national has recently forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Upland Development Program.

The ARMM team led by DENR Regional Secretary Usman Saranggani singed the MOA with his national counterpart, secretary Eleazar Quinto on February 4, 2010 in Metro Manila.

The Upland Development Program is a national government undertaking aimed at supporting the implementation and sustainability of forestry program to reduce the impact of the global financial crisis in the country, and enhance the country’s capacity to adapt to climate change.

Sec. Sarangani said the P28-million worth program could improve productivity and strengthen the soil and water conservation functions of forest lands as upland agricultural farms through agroforestry and reforestation schemes in the autonomous region, sec. Saranggani said.

With this signing of the agreement, effective management and protection of the forest and forest lands in the region such as watersheds, mangroves, urban parks, coastal zones and protected areas would be a joint-focal activity, Sarangani said

The agreement took into consideration the potentials of these areas that play a vital role in providing water for irrigation, power and potable water system, he added stressed.

The program will also improve incomes for farmers in upland areas and is expected to create thousands of jobs through forest and watersheds rehabilitation in support of the government’s initiatives to mitigate hunger and poverty reduction program.

Major activities of the said program will be the establishment and operation of nurseries, development of forest plantations and agroforestry farms, rehabilitation of river banks and watershed areas, enrichment planting of inadequately stocked areas and assisted natural regeneration. (bpi-armm)