Industry Strategic Science and Technology Plans (ISPs) Platform

PCAARRD's Industry Strategic Science and Technology Programs
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Watershed Industry Profile

Watershed is an area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet such as the outflow of a reservoir, mouth of a bay, or any point along a stream channel. Healthy and sustainably managed watersheds provide environmental services and economically viable natural resources (i.e. wood/non-wood products) and serve as water sources for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses. They could also serve as habitats to various plant and animal species and play ecological functions. Watersheds also prevent or reduce costly climate change and flooding impacts, manage drought, contribute to tourism and fisheries, forestry, agriculture and mining industries.

Some of the watersheds in the Philippines are the Abuan Watershed in Isabela, Muleta Watershed in Bukidnon, Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed in Laguna, Quiaoit River Watershed in Ilocos Norte, and Quinali Watershed in Bicol.

Problems in the Industry

The Philippines lacks data on watershed characteristics and appropriate monitoring instruments that will aid in making informed planning and decision making with regard to the management and conservation of watershed resources. Other problems faced in the industry are dispersed advocacy efforts and improper planning to adopt integrated watershed-based approaches, and inadequate instrumentation that leads to increased rate of erosion.

Watershed Science and Technology Program

The Science and Technology Program on Watershed currently focuses on the development of standard procedure for watershed characterization and protocols for monitoring of watershed characteristics,
including stream, climatological,  biodiversity and soil erosion and sediment yield.
The target outcomes are:
  • Integrated landscape modeling/planning and innovative environmental governance
  • Improved planning and reduced rates of soil erosion and water degradation
  • Database and information system of all the watersheds

Strategic R&D

Strategic R&D is DOST-PCAARRD’s banner program comprising all R&D activities that are intended to
generate outputs geared towards maximum economic and social benefits

Technologies

Products, equipment, and protocols or process innovations developed to improve productivity, efficiency,
quality, and profitability in the agriculture and aquatic industries, and to achieve sustainable
utilization and management of natural resources

The Watershed Decision Support System (WDSS)

The Watershed Decision Support System (WDSS) uses modern information and communication technologies to provide support across the three main phases of decision-making: (i) he gathering of “intelligence” for identifying the...

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Capacity Building

Capacity building efforts of DOST-PCAARRD seek to develop and enhance the R&D capabilities of researchers
and academic or research institutions through graduate assistantships & non-degree trainings
and development and/or upgrading of research facilities

Infrastructure Development

Manpower Development

Policy Research & Advocacy

Analysis of policy concerns and advocacy of science-informed policies ensures that the AANR policy environment is conducive for S&T development and investments
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Research for Development: Payment for Ecosystem Services Outcome for Sustainable Water Provision (R4D: PESO SWaP) in Barobbob Watershed, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines

PES mechanisms create a market for ecosystem services by making users/beneficiaries pay for the services while compensating conservation activities of service providers. PES ensures improvements in the ES through sustaining market driven incentives for conservation. While the mechanism has already been implemented in several areas in the country, this action research is needed to design a PES-mechanism tailor-fit to the needs of the Barobbob watershed stakeholders to be successful and contribute to enrichment of documentation of PES in the Philippines.

Institutionalization of Guidelines on Watershed-Based Integrated Area Land Use Planning Towards Resiliency (WILUP)

The main objective of the project is to facilitate the institutionalization of the proposed guidelines on WILUP to promote the resiliency and sustainability of watersheds, ecosystems and people, towards resilient and sustainable local and national development. Specifically, it aims to: 1. Advance the advocacy agenda by building partnerships with DENR, DILG, DHSUD, DA, DAR, DPWH, CCC, NDRRMC, NEDA, and other concerned agencies; 2. Facilitate the adoption of a policy instrument that will initiate the implementation of the WEM framework;  3. Improve appreciation of the WEM framework and WILUP among the key stakeholders; and, 4. Demonstrate/pilot test the WILUP as basis for updating comprehensive land use plans in selected LGUs to showcase its doability and advantages over existing approaches.

Assessment of Payment for Water Ecosystem Service (P-WES) Initiatives Towards the Development of a Philippine PES Protocol

There are various PES schemes that are documented/reported to be existing in the country, with services including watershed protection, carbon sequestration, water supply, flood mitigation, aesthetic and recreational value, and biodiversity. However, these are short- lived PES-like initiatives. A successful and market-driven PES is yet to be implemented in the country. This project will complement an on-site research on PES that will be conducted in Barobbob Watershed in Nueva Vizcaya to provide a road map that looks back at the success and failures of previous initiatives. In this light, the project will contribute to the establishment of workable arrangements to form a well-informed National PES Policy.