The Mindanao leg of the Consultation Workshop for the Philippines’ UNCCD National Reporting, spearheaded by the DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), successfully commenced on August 4, 2026, at Microtel by Wyndham Davao in Davao City.

This Workshop is made possible through the GEF-8 Enabling Activities project, with technical guidance from the UNCCD secretariat. The FAO serves as the Implementing Agency for this GEF-funded project and works hand-in-hand with the BSWM.

Stakeholders and representatives from diverse institutions joined the discussions, including the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Offices across Mindanao (Regions XII and BARMM), DENR Conservation and Development Division (CDD) and regional offices, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Civil Society Organizations CSOs, and Provincial Local Government Units (PLGUs).

Opening the Workshop was with the Message of BSWM OIC Assistant Director Engr. Eduardo V. Alberto, where he stressed the critical importance and indispensable nature of our land resources. He gave emphasis on the current state of our land, the escalating repercussions of climate change and the potential solutions to meet the increasing demand for food by addressing the drivers of land degradation in the Philippines. Engr. Alberto also expressed great optimism about the event, championing it as a powerful platform for collaboration across various agencies, offices, and organizations. Ultimately, he envisions the workshop driving valuable insights to refine national reporting and strengthen relevant approaches toward achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) at the regional and local level.

Dr. Lionel Dabbadie, FAO Representative in the Philippines, commended DA-BSWM’s leadership and emphasized the vital role of partners in safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods. He highlighted the enduring importance of healthy soils, linking FAO’s Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, with UNCCD’s mission of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). He urged participants to move from analysis to action, mobilizing financing and strengthening institutional coordination for restoration.

The Technical Sessions featured several key presentations: Engr. Eduardo V. Alberto, OIC-Assistant Director of DA-BSWM, provided an overview of the UNCCD Reporting Cycle and Strategic Objective 1 (SO1); Engr. Bony dela Cruz, Engineer IV, SCMD, discussed Levelling Off: Concept Clarity on Land Degradation; Mr. Ace Wilfred Abarro, Senior Agriculturist of SCMD BSWM, outlined the workshop rationale, objectives, and Sustainable Land Management (SLM) initiatives; Mr. Ben Patrick Soliguin, Environment Programme Coordinator of FAO PH, presented the FAO GEF-8 umbrella support project; Mr. Baldwin Pine, Senior SRS, GSITD, presented the Land Productivity Dynamics and Soil Organic Carbon methodologies, defaults, and alternatives as well as the Baseline Assessment of LDN; Engr. John Algen Mendez, Agriculturist II, ALMED, presented  the NPAAAD AND SAFDZ for SLM, and For. Ernie Urriza, EnP, Ecosystem Restoration, Monitoring and GIS Specialist of FAO PH, presented the Land Cover methodology, national datasets, and land degradation assessment techniques.

Workshops and discussions were conducted to support stakeholder decision-making on the island’s Land Cover Change, Land Productivity, and Soil Organic Carbon. The Consultation Workshop for the Mindanao Cluster concluded on August 6, 2026.

This workshop serves as a platform for reflection: Do we still have viable lands, or are degraded lands beginning to dominate the country? While deserts are not yet apparent in the Philippines, early signs such as declining soil fertility, reduced land cover, and low soil organic carbon,  remind us of the urgent need to protect and restore our soils. Awareness alone is not enough; what is more important is taking concrete initiatives and implementing sustained efforts to combat land degradation.