Leila D. Landicho

Engaging in School-Led Multisectoral Collaboration: Implications to Agroforestry Promotion in the Philippine Uplands

Abstract The Agroforestry Support Program for Empowering Communities Towards Self-Reliance (ASPECTS) was conceived to develop a model of two-stage approach in agroforestry promotion by capacitating the upland communities to establish community-managed agroforestry extension services, while strengthening the agroforestry education programs of the three collaborating agroforestry schools in the Philippines. ASPECTS convened a multisectoral collaboration in building the physical and social infrastructure of the partner communities (i.e. training of farmer-trainers and establishing training facilities and community demonstration plots and nursery); improving schools’ capacities in implementing agroforestry programs (i.e. improving library resources, field facilities, and staff development); promoting farm-based research; and establishing institutional linkages. The school-led multisectoral collaboration intensified agroforestry promotion in the three partner upland communities; intensified farmer-to-farmer training activities; enhanced delivery of agroforestry education programs of the three collaborating schools; and enabled the local development organizations to recognize the importance of agroforestry by integrating agroforestry-related activities in their annual development programs. This action research has proven that the educational institutions have the potentials and the capacity to enforce empowerment of upland communities. This model also affirms the viability of partnership and collaboration in enhancing upland development endeavors. This model harnessed the potentials and developed synergy among people and institutions represented in the multisectoral convergence. This project has developed a model of scaling-up agroforestry promotion using a two-stage approach—capacitating the farming communities, while strengthening the collaborating schools’ agroforestry programs.