Wetlands Caravan for Wetlands and Agriculture:
Symposium on Agriculture, Wetlands and Water – Finding the Right Balance

The Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW) celebrated the World Wetlands Day around the concept of  Wetlands Caravan, the evolving CEPA Programme of SCPW for wetland conservation.  The theme Wetlands and Agriculture – Partners for Growth provides an ideal opportunity to highlight the importance of wetlands in supporting agriculture, especially since many family farming operations rely on the soils, water, plants and animals found in wetlands to provide food security and improve their livelihood.

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In partnership with the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Region 3, the SCPW held the Symposium on Agriculture, Wetlands and Water – Finding the Right Balance at the Audio Visual Room of the PSAU in Magalang, Pampanga on 03 February 2014.  The objective of the symposium was to increase the awareness of the audience on the critical interdependence between agriculture, water and wetlands, with special attention to the role of wetlands in providing natural infrastructure to support agriculture for food production.

These were the topics presented and discussed in the event –

  • “Wetlands: Functions and Services” (by Ms. Amy Lecciones of SCPW)
  • “Watershed Landscape Approach” (by Dr. Paulo Pasicolan)
  • “Water for Agriculture: Facts and Figures” (by Engr. Diosdado Manalus of Bureau of Soils and Water Management)
  • “Wetlands and Water: Finding the Right Balance” (Ms. Minerva Martinez of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Region 3)
  • “Wetlands, Water and Waterbirds” (by Dr. Simplicia Pasicolan of Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau)

 Symposium on Wetlands and Mariculture: Partners for Growth


Meanwhile, in Tawi-Tawi, World Wetlands Day was also celebrated though a symposium.  The theme of the symposium has been adapted to Tawi-Tawi conditions, Wetlands and Mariculture:  Partners for Growth.   In order to raise awareness of the communities, especially the youth, on the connectivity and  the role of wetlands in Mariculture, lecture presentations were given  by Dr. Filemon G. Romero on “Wetlands and Mariculture”, Dr. Jumelita Romero on “Seaweeds Culture” and Prof. Concepcion Toring on “Abalone Culture”.

This is coordinated by the the Coastal Resource Management Center and the Institute of the Oceanography and Environmental Science of the Mindanao State University , in collaboration with  WWF-Philippines, Office of the Director  for Research, PENRO, DENR ARMM, BFAR ARMM,  PTWG of the Provincial Government, Tawi-Tawi Marine Research and Development Foundation, Inc., Kilusan ng Kabataan para sa Kalikasan, Youth4Nature, ASP Lupah Tawi-Tawi Alumni Association and the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands.

Reported by Dr. Filemon G. Romero