Promoting Local Development in Zamboanga del Norte

Areas:  7 expansion barangays in Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte and expansion in the Cities of Dipolog ( 7 barangays) and Dapitan.  Total of 14 barangays in all.

Project Background:

The ABCDE Foundation is implementing a proven and effective multi-pronged initiative comprising  community organizing, local capacity-building and direct delivery of pump-priming assets comprising land redemption, small and large animals, tree planting, water and sanitation and gardening, association building and mobilizing local cadre of “barefoot extension agents” in Katipunan Municipality, Zamboanga del Norte.  Our assessment of project activities shows a clear improvement in incomes due to a mix of farming support like vegetables, draft animals, small animals, contour farming, use of organic fertilizer via vermi-composting, among others.  The land redemption component emancipates the small farmer from indebtedness and gives back the land and its resources for him to till and generate livelihood.  The ecosan and ordinary toilet initiative is helping in the fight to contain capillariasis which is epidemic in the area and carried by fish and shrimps in the river with birds as the vector and transmitted via human feces when local people openly defecate for lack of toilet facilities. This new proposal is aimed at expanding this initiative to additional barangays in Katipunan and expanding work in the cities of Dipolog and Dapitan.  The main office of the ABCDE is based in Dipolog and Dapitan is only a few kilometers away.  The best practice generated in Katipunan Municipality will be the show-case and study tour area for new project beneficiaries.

The components of the project includes;

a.  Land redemption and small farm improvement of redeemed farms.

b.  Draft animal and small animal loan program.

c.  Ecological sanitation and vegetable gardening initiative.

d.  Small farm development, contour farming, fruit and timber tree production.

e.  Establishing a Subanen Indigenous People Learning and Livelihood Center.

f.  Community organizing and deployment of barefoot technicians.

All components is implemented in the expansion barangays in Katipunan and in Dipolog City while in Dapitan, we will only implement ecological sanitation and vegetable gardening activities.