CALAPAN CITY, ORIENTAL MINDORO – The Interdisciplinary Studies Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management (IDSC-INREM) in partnership with Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology held a seminar-workshop titled “Capacity Development on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management” last March 22-23, 2018 at MinSCAT Calapan City Campus.
The 2-day event was participated in by the Vice-president for Research, Extension and Development of MinSCAT, together with 15 MinSCAT faculty members, and 15 LGU representatives coming from Oriental Mindoro Provincial Agriculture Office, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Calapan City Agricultural Services Department, Calapan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Municipal Agriculture Office of Gloria, and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Gloria.
During the first day of the event, Dr. Canesio D. Predo from the College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB), lectured about instrument design and proper sampling techniques often used in research. The discussion also involved different data gathering methods, and types of surveys, as well as issues that arise during survey implementation. At the end of the lecture, faculty members of MinSCAT were asked to create a quick survey instrument that would be useful in generating information on farmers’ use of weather and climate information.
Meanwhile, the second day of the event was more focused on the overview of climate change, and disaster risk reduction. A discussion on climate change science, impacts, and responses was led by Dr. Juan M. Pulhin (CFNR-UPLB). This was followed by a lecture on observed climate trends and projected climate change impacts in the Philippines. Engr. Wilma delos Santos of MinSCAT, on the other hand, explained the difference of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
Additional discussion on using seasonal climate forecasts for CCA was presented by Dr. Predo during the event. The study presented focused on linking season climate forecast information and corn farmers’ decision making in the province of Bukidnon. Another presentation was by Mr. Dan Leo Diona II (CFNR-UPLB) who discussed the preliminary result of their study aimed on measuring the value of rainfall forecast on rice farming in Calapan City.
The event hosted by MinSCAT is part of the research study funded by the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) titled, “Action Ready Climate Knowledge to Improve Disaster Risk Management of Smallholder Farmers in the Philippines.” The training is in line with the commitment of the project to enhance the capacity of the partner institutions, particularly, the local university and LGUs to better assist the smallholder farmers in the project area to improve their disaster risk management strategy through the more effective and timely use of weather and climate information. MinSCAt served as the regional partner university in the research project sites in Oriental Mindoro. (Dan Leo Z. Diona II)