Environmental risks and their impacts on food and health security in Laguna Lake Watershed, Philippines

The presentation deals with environmental risks emanating from the economic and the ecological changes in the Laguna Lake Watershed, especially the Silang-Sta. Rosa watershed and the proposals for addressing them. The basic framework is based on a watershed concept which shows the interactions of activities in the upstream areas with those of the downstream land and water resources. These interactions put pressure on future ecosystems and people dependent on these resources. At the heart of these environmental issues are stakeholders whose vulnerability to the environmental risks from floods/natural calamities as well as the current production and waste management practices is influenced by their biophysical and socio-economic circumstances. These risks affect not only the environment and biodiversity but also the food security and health of the affected communities. The households however are resilient and have learned to cope with these situations. Their degree of resiliency is influenced by three important factors, namely, their earning capacity, family assets and asset management and strong support from relatives. There are 3 major programs proposed to address some of these issues. These include the Payment for Environmental Services Programs, namely, the agroforestry program to mitigate the affects of heavy rains and flooding and the willingness of households to pay for garbage collection services. Another is the program we called the 'Yaman ng Lawa' literally meaning the 'Treasures of the Lake' which is an adaptive co-management approach with communities and other stakeholders to find solutions to major issues confronting the lake. The third are initiatives related to eco-restoration of the lake, waste management and health. These are 4 important lessons learned from the study. First is that there is no free lunch, that economic growth and development has a cost to the environment in terms of food insecurity and adverse health consequences. Second, a transdiciplinary approach is important for addressing the complex and interrelated environmental issues and developing the appropriate approaches and strategies to address them. Third, market-based instruments can be useful companion tools for regulatory measures for addressing environmental issues. Lastly, there should always be a major effort t share the findings of research with the communities who would benefit from the information and if time and resources permit, help them to come up with strategies to address the environmental issues.