PRO-ACT: a modality for postdisaster rehabilitation of calamity-affected areas

With the support of PCARRD, UPLB, and the Social Action Center of the Prelature of Infanta, Villancio, et al. (UPLB) implemented a project to develop a rehabilitation modality for calamity-affected areas. This would ultimately rehabilitate damaged agricultural lands and establish sustainable integrated farming systems through multistakeholder partnership and client-oriented extension strategies. The project is a postdisaster intervention where S & T outputs are brought in to help the people cope with their socioeconomic problems. The modality being developed is called PRO-ACT or Partnership for Rehabilitation of the Agricultural Systems of Calamity-Stricken Areas. Project implementation involves the following processes or activities with subcomponents affecting and interacting with each other: agricultural resource assessment; design and testing of integrated farming systems; information, education, and communication materials development; capacity building; and community organizing. Barangay [village], Boboin in Infanta, Quezon served as a test case for developing the modality. Findings of the study revealed the following: Barangay Boboin was once a major source of palay in the province due to its fertile and suitable soil for irrigated rice production. Biophysical characterization done almost a year after the calamity showed that about 78 ha of prime agricultural lands in the barangay were covered with 30-105 cm of mud, wood stumps, and other debris from the mountains. Soil analysis using the Soil Test Kit (STK) of UPLB showed that the farms generally had low nutrient content and high infiltration rate, making them unsuitable for paddy rice culture. Partnership with the local government unit, SAC, and the farmers facilitated clearing of about 65 ha of farmlands. The project conducted collaborative activities and capacity-building initiatives to prepare farmers for the new farming schemes. Integrated farming systems and technologies were designed and tested through the learning fields established in five sitios. With rice still the preferred first crop, other crops such as peanut, bitter gourd, squash, and other vegetables were introduced as second crop. The project also tested the production of corn and the integration of Jatropha curcas with upland rice-based cropping systems. Among the seven upland rice varieties tested, M108, PSBRC9, PSBRC7, AG5, and PSB RC5 showed good planting potential. Results of the first cropping trial showed highest yield of 5.16 t/ha from M108, followed by PSB RC9 with a yield of 4.98 t/ha. Fertilizer trials showed that applying 2 t organic fertilizer plus half of the recommended rate of inorganic fertilizer per hectare showed comparative performance as that of full inorganic fertilizer. Taking off from the initiatives from the project, SAC now hosts a Farmers' Information and Technology Service (FITS) Center that serves the Northern Quezon municipalities of Real, Infanta, and General Nakar. Initial experiences from project implementation indicated the following lessons: Disaster should be treated as an issue of development and governance; and institutions should be responsive, sensitive, and accountable to the demands, needs, and rights of disaster-prone communities and areas; Disaster prone communities should engage in the process of disaster-related decision-making and development planning, implementation, and monitoring; Restoration and rehabilitation strategies should take into account the level of vulnerabilities and coping strategies/mechanisms in the community; Management protocol for the utilization of S & T-based knowledge and technologies for calamity-stricken areas should consider farmer-adapted farming systems technologies; Disaster management strategies should integrate structural measures with non-structural measures such as enhancing the entitlements and negotiating power of the most vulnerable communities and subordinate social groups; Learning modules and materials should be developed and implemented based on local needs, capabilities, and preferences by end-users; Market, credit, and other support services should be institutionalized in the area to sustain restoration and rehabilitation initiatives; and disaster management policies should be redirected towards poverty and vulnerability reduction instead of mere compensation and relief responses. Post disaster policies and programs should be put in place and translated into action by NDCC and other agencies involved in restoration and rehabilitation of affected areas. Initial accomplishments of the project showed that PRO-ACT can be a viable framework for community development. It can foster development of relationship and convergence of key actors, farmers, PCARRD, UPLB, SAC, LGU, and other stakeholders. It also shows that partnership ensures sharing of S & T-based knowledge to end-users resulting in the utilization of knowledge appropriate to the local context. PRO-ACT can result in efficient delivery of S & T-based knowledge and systems to affected communities.