The Philippine uplands face huge development challenges due to the magnitude of destruction from their original state.

This destruction has had severe consequences for the upland population depending on the upland resource base.

The uplands, directly linked with the lowland and coastal zones, are an integral part of the ecological system. Therefore their destruction also results in decreasing production and revenue in the prime lowland ecological zones.

Furthermore the protection of the uplands relates to the preservation of forests which is vital for ecological balance. The supply of water and many other life-giving resources are largely dependent on the health of the uplands.

For these reasons and more, the Philippine uplands must be conserved for the survival and development of the country.

A primary cause of upland destruction in the country is the indiscriminate legal and illegal logging in the past. Another major factor is the upland migration of people from the lowlands due to their search for better livelihood. In addition, the taking over by large agri-business groups of vast tracts of gently sloping lowland plantations leaves many poor communities with no other option than to expand cultivation onto steep to very steep slopes.

These inhabitants practice the slash and burn farming method and other unsustainable technologies that are not suited to farming on steep uplands, which has resulted in severe soil erosion, low productivity and therefore very low income and quality of life.

All this destruction has also resulted in extreme “poverty” in terms of biodiversity in the uplands.

Field Testing of Technologies

The alarming state of the uplands provided the rationale for the Upland Development Programme in Southern Mindanao or UDP, a special project of the Government of the Philippines executed by the Department of Agriculture and supported by a grant from the European Union.

UDP’s two-fold objective was to develop and test a replicable model to sustain the resource base of the uplands and improve the living standards of people who derive most of their incomes from the uplands.

The model that was to be developed, aside from providing environmental and economic security, must have the following fundamental characteristics such as :

• Participatory in approach
• Supportive legal framework, good local governance
• Emphasis on capacity building
• Practical Demonstration
• Sustainability
• Replicability
  

Formulation of the SUD Model

In 2004 after a period of trial and error and extensive consultations and share experiences with LGU’s, government agencies and civil society organizations to discuss details of the proposed model, UDP drew up a final model that achieves the objectives set for the Programme.

The model was also shared in the First Multi-Sectoral Forum on Watershed Management with other development partners, such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), World Vision, Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo), the People Collaborating for Economic and Environmental Management in Davao Foundation (PCEEM-Davao), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA), Surigao Development Corporation, Philippine Wood Producers Association, the Department of Land Reform (DLR), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Liga ng mga Barangay. The forum was held on September 1-2, 2005 in Davao City and convened by the Forestry Development Center of the University of the Philippines – Los Banos with UDP as principal sponsor.

A key outcome of the forum is a resolution from among the estimated 250 participants all over Mindanao calling for the prioritization of sustainable watershed management.

The model is called “Sustainable Upland Development Model” or SUD Model. It has six schemes, four of which are LGU driven with the other two in support and basically private sector driven.

The four fundamental schemes are, as follows:

1. Land Use - Based Barangay Development Planning;
2. Upland Agricultural Extension through Land Management, to help farmers switch from mostly corn mono-cropping to a Diversified Farming System;
3. Barangay Forest Protection and Management; and
4. Labour-based Barangay Routine Road Maintenance for vital barangay roads.

The Landuse-based barangay development planning is the corner stone of all other schemes and development interventions in a barangay and hence should be conducted first.

The two supportive schemes are, as follows:

1. Rural Financial Services; and
2. Upland Village Enterprise Development.

   The SUD Model is illustrated through a schematic diagram, as follows: