Leila D. Landicho and Leah P. Arboleda ([email protected])
Agroforestry has been widely practiced in the Philippines. It has been recognized as the main production technology in community-based forest management and a major strategy in the rehabilitation and sustainable development of the uplands. Yet, agroforestry still remains an area of intensive debate, development and recognition as a separate field from agriculture and forestry.
For agroforestry to be developed and promoted as a distinct discipline, there is a need to generate agroforesters, undertake research and development and extend whatever outputs for the benefit of as many sectors as possible. There is also the need for stronger and improved networking efforts, information sharing, exchange of technical expertise, curriculum development, participatory research and extension, institutional and staff capability building and resource mobilization. These were the reasons why the 31 agroforestry schools in the country bonded together and formed the Philippine Agroforestry Education and Research Network (PAFERN), first as an informal coalition in 1998, and then as a formal organization in 2001. Its goal -- to collectively work at advancing the science and practice of agroforestry by improving and strengthening the status of agroforestry education, research and extension in the country.
PAFERN’s representation
PAFERN’s logo represents the network’s goal of agroforestry and collective action. The logo was designed by Dr. Virgilio T. Villancio, Leila D. Landicho, and Leah P. Arboleda of the Institute of Agroforestry at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and Dr. Wenceslao T. Tianero Sr. of the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology. The logo presents the various components of agroforestry: the carabao and fish signify the animal component; the corn, mango and pechay signify the agricultural crop component; and the tree signifies the forest component. The three branches of the tree represent the three working bodies of PAFERN: the general assembly, the board and the national secretariat.
The three black lines with blue backgrounds represent the silhouettes of people looking forward. These signify (1) the three island groups (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) where the agroforestry schools are distributed; (2) the critical role of people (faculty, students, researchers, farmers and others), regardless of gender and age, in realizing the network’s vision, mission, goals and objectives; (3) the need to always look forward and be conscious of issues, concerns and challenges; and (4) the importance of water in agroforestry as indicated by the blue background color.
The PAFERN Board facilitates and oversees the overall implementation of Network activities. It consists of the Chairperson and two representatives of the member-institutions in each of the country’s island group - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The map of the Philippines occupies the center of the logo, signifying the country in which the network belongs. The yellow circle surrounding all the elements represents the sun and the hope that the status of agroforestry education, research and extension will be improved, strengthened and its efforts sustained through the collective action of the member-institutions. Finally, the name of the network and the year when it was formally organized surrounds all the elements of the logo, giving it a wholistic appearance.
Amidst problems and challenges
It has been a rough start for PAFERN, as it faced financial constraints and the government’s bureaucratic structures and systems. Nevertheless, the synergy and commitment of the member-institutions and the support of the Southeast Asian Network for Agroforestry Education (SEANAFE) have helped the network surpass its first year of operations.
It was able to implement two national trainings of agroforestry teachers; conduct an institutional capability and needs assessment study in the areas of agroforestry instruction, research, extension and production among PAFERN members; support four state colleges and universities in establishing on-campus agroforestry demonstration farms; provide thesis support to undergraduate agroforestry students; disseminate information materials; conduct board meetings; and convene the general assembly.
As the network works toward self-sufficiency, it continues to implement activities in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education/Technical Panel for Agriculture Education. Among these target activities are (1) offering of standardized agroforestry curricular programs; (2) enhancing the technical capability of agroforestry faculty; 3) building institutional capacities in agroforestry research and extension; 4) upgrading library collections and teaching materials; 5) establishing a monitoring system for the placement of agroforestry graduates; 6) providing theses support; 7) lobbying for the professionalization of agroforestry in the Philippines; and 8) providing venues for information exchange.
Amidst problems and challenges, PAFERN will continue to implement activities relevant to its pledge of charting the path toward intensified agroforestry promotion and development in the country. And because agroforestry calls for collaboration between and among sectors and disciplines, efforts are underway to widen the network’s membership to include non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations and other research institutions.
For more information, contact the PAFERN Secretariat, c/o Institute of Agroforestry, 2/F Tamesis Hall, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños, PO Box 35023, Tel +63 049 5362657/5363657, Fax +63 049 5363809 and E-mail [email protected]. The authors are university research associates of the Institute of Agroforestry, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna 4031, Philippines.
Through the support of the Southeast Asian Network for Agroforestry Education, PAFERN held the National Trainings of Agroforestry Teachers in 2001 and 2002 in its effort to strengthen the capabilities of agroforestry teachers and increase the pool of agroforesters in the country.
Leah P. Arboleda and Leila D. Landicho ([email protected])
Filipino agroforestry professionals and practitioners are invited to the First National Agroforestry Congress to be held 19 to 20 November 2003 at Leyte State University, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines. With the theme "convergence for agroforestry development in the Philippines," the congress will enable participants to share experiences and recent development in agroforestry, identify issues and concerns, and formulate strategies and plans to institutionalize agroforestry development programs in the country. The congress will also serve as the venue for the presentation of the proposed National Agroforestry Development Program (NAFDP) - a national agenda that aims at institutionalizing the science and practice of agroforestry in the Philippines. NAFDP hopes to cut across policy advocacy, education, research and development, and aims at formulating legislative acts, establishing agroforestry centers, and creating mechanisms to harmonize programs and activities of existing agroforestry organizations and networks.
Interested parties may submit their paper presentations with focus on: (1) agroforestry education, (2) agroforestry research and technology development, (3) agroforestry extension for rural development, and (4) policy advocacy and institutional issues in agroforestry. These will also be the major topics in the plenary sessions and workshops.
Poster presentations, meanwhile, will highlight (1) outstanding agroforestry projects of NGOs, people’s organizations, academic institutions, government agencies and local government units; and (2) outstanding practices of agroforestry farmers. The first 25 cases of agroforestry farmers that will be accepted for poster presentations will be provided modest support that will enable the participation of the farmer and the documenter to the congress.
Abstracts for paper and poster presentations should be submitted to the Congress Secretariat on or before 30 September. Acceptance of presentations will be announced on or before 15 October and full papers should be submitted on or before 30 October 2003. Participating institutions are also enjoined to display institutional exhibits and educational and promotional materials during the congress.
A resolution or declaration will be the major output of the congress. It will consist of the issues and concerns tackled and the decisions undertaken during the congress. The resolution or declaration will serve as the policy instrument that will help facilitate the work towards institutionalizing agroforestry development programs in the Philippines.
Congress registration is at PhP2 500 (~US$45) which covers food, congress kit and souvenir. Participants will shoulder transportation costs to and from congress venue, accommodation, and food if they wish to stay beyond the congress duration.
For more information, please contact the Congress Secretariat, National Agroforestry Congress, c/o Institute of Agroforestry, 2/F CFNR Administration Building, University of the Philippines Los Baños, PO Box 35023, College, Laguna, Philippines, Tel +63 049 5363657, Fax +63 049 5363809 and E-mail [email protected].
Leah P. Arboleda ([email protected])
The Institute of Agroforestry (IAF) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños announces its new series of training courses for 2003:
Participatory Technology Development for Agroforestry (PT-DAF) - 12 to 25 October
This new series was the result of the review and evaluation of IAF’s training management team from its periodic training impact and needs assessment and training follow-up activities. Project managers, supervisors, researchers, field technicians, farmer/community leaders and other development workers from non-government organizations (NGOs), government agencies, local government units, academic and research institutions, people’s organizations and other concerned local and international institutions can participate. Preferably, they should have at least two years experience in community-based development projects.
For more information, contact: The Director, Attention: The Training Coordinator, Institute of Agroforestry, 2/F Tamesis Hall, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños, PO Box 35023, College, 4031 Laguna, Philippines through Tel +63 049 5362657/ 5363657, FAX +63 049 5363809 or E-mail [email protected].
P.K. Nair ([email protected])
From 27 June to 2 July 2004, agroforestry researchers, high-ranking government officials, practitioners, extension agents and students from various parts of the world will gather in Orlando, Florida, USA, for the First World Congress of Agroforestry to share knowledge, experiences and ideas, and collectively develop strategies for research, education and training in agroforestry.
With the overall theme "Working together for sustainable land-use systems," the congress is organized around five major topics -- (1) improvement of rural livelihoods, (2) enhancement of the environment and landscape, (3) policy, social and institutional issues, (4) agroforestry science and education, and (5) agroforestry: the next 25 years. These topics will be highlighted in five plenary lectures by outstanding world leaders in research and development of natural resources, eight subplenary symposia, 20+ concurrent sessions, two poster sessions, mid-congress field trips, and three optional items: a pre-congress workshop, a pre-and a post-congress tour.
Significant outputs from the congress will include a compendium of about 30 peer-reviewed, state-of-the-art reviews on various aspects of agroforestry research and development; a book of abstracts on all the presentations; a Congress Declaration, which will be a policy document aimed at high-level policy and decision makers in government and donor communities; and several special issues of thematic journals (post-congress) consisting of selected presentations.
The University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) will host the congress. Public and private institutions around the world will sponsor it. It’s Global Organizing Committee is chaired by Dr. P. K. Nair, professor of UF/IFAS together with Dr. Dennis Garrity, director-general of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF); Dr. Greg Ruark, director of the National Agroforestry Center, US Forest Service; and Dr. Howard Shapiro, vice-president of Mars, Inc., as co-chairs. The committee also has 17 other leading professionals from around the world as members.
All interested individuals and institutions are enjoined to submit abstracts of voluntary contributions for oral and poster presentations until 30 September 2003. You may also visit the congress web site at http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/wca/ for more information or contact Dr. P.K. Nair, distinguished professor and congress chair for Technical Program and Sponsorship, and director of the Center for Subtropical Agroforestry, SFRC, University of Florida/IFAS, PO Box 110410 Gainesville, FL 32611-0410, USA through Tel: 1-352-846-0880, Fax: 1-352-846-1277, and E-mail: [email protected], or Ms. Mandy P. Stage, congress coordinator, Office of Conferences & Institutes, University of Florida/IFAS, PO Box 110750, Gainesville, FL 32611-0750 through Tel: 1-352-392-5930, Fax: 1-352-392-9734 and E-mail: [email protected]
Photos courtesy of University of Missouri, Center for Agroforestry obtained with permission from congress organizers at http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/wca/.
The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) is inviting scientists and senior technicians from its collaborating national research and development institutions to the Short Training Workshop on Tree Domestication to be held 17 to 22 November 2003 at ICRAF Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
The term "tree domestication" has replaced "tree improvement" in agroforestry to cover a broader definition of "bringing trees into greater cultivation through appropriate identification, production, management and adoption of desirable trees." According to the announcement, tree domestication activities have yet to be integrated into strategies that consider user needs, environment, species characteristics, marketing and dissemination. Thus, the workshop aims to share new concepts and experiences in tree domestication through lectures, discussions, exercises, demonstrations, and field visits tackling the following modules: (1) introduction to tree domestication, (2) priority setting and domestication strategies, (3) product market analysis and enterprise development, (4) germplasm procurement, production and distribution, (5) tree propagation and management, (6) tree evaluation and improvement, (7) tree information and databases, and (8) participant tree domestication strategies.
Through grants from the United Kingdom Department of International Development (DFID) and the Netherlands’ Government (DGIS-SII), ICRAF will be supporting the air travel, the course venue, and other travel-related expenses of 15 participants. A limited number of self-sponsored participants can be accepted at a fee of US$1 150 to cover tuition, training materials and local transport. For those interested, contact Jan Beniest, course coordinator, Training Unit, World Agroforestry Centre, PO Box 30677, Nairobi, Kenya, Tel +(254-20) 524 152, Fax + (254-20) 524 001, and E-mail: [email protected].
The Australian Society of Soil Science, Inc. (ASSI) invites those involved in soil and water conservation around the world to the 13th International Soil Conservation Organization Conference (ISCO) to be held 4 to 9 July 2004 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia.
From its press release, participants are encouraged to "share (1) information, knowledge and experience on conserving soil and water resources across ecosystems and culture, over time and space, in agricultural, built and natural environments; (2) solutions in creating learning and sharing environment to make science work for the people and improve communication; and (3) strategies to apply these solutions that operate across social, environmental, and political boundaries, and empower people and communities."
Paper and poster presentations may cover activities from research to facilitation, modeling to measurement, science, policy and practice. Look for further announcements or contact the Secretariat, ICMS Pty Ltd, 82 Merivale Street, South Bank, Queensland 4101, Australia, through Tel +61 7 3844 1138, Fax +61 7 3844 0909 or E-mail [email protected]. You can also visit their web site at http://www.icms.com.au/isco2004.
