Borongan leads Eastern Samar bid for UN climate technical support

TACLOBAN CITY — Borongan City is seeking United Nations-backed technical assistance for a climate-smart agriculture program that would benefit not only the city but also four neighboring municipalities in Eastern Samar province.

The city government presented its proposal on Aug.4 for support from the United Nations Climate Technology Centre and Network (UN CTCN), with the municipalities of Sulat, San Julian, Maydolong and Balangkayan identified as proposed co-beneficiaries.

The proposal was presented online to a panel from the Korea Environment Institute (KEI) and Sustainable IF (SusIF), which are supporting the development of the proposed project.

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The presentation was led by Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda, together with City Planning and Development Coordinator Maria Anne Lopez, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Jojito Acla, City Agriculturist Macario Gabornes Jr., and representatives from the four partner municipalities.

The UN CTCN is the implementation arm of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Technology Mechanism. It provides developing countries with technical assistance and access to climate technologies to help them address climate change and strengthen resilience.

For Eastern Samar, the proposed project seeks to address challenges faced by farmers due to increasingly variable weather conditions, which can affect crop production, food supply, and nutrition.

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The proposed climate-smart agriculture system would integrate model farms, efficient seed banks, water resource management, renewable-energy-powered agricultural support facilities, and soil conservation measures. It also aims to improve agricultural production and promote value-adding activities.

Before the presentation, Borongan officials met with local chief executives and representatives in the four municipalities to assess the province’s agricultural situation and identify possible solutions that could be supported through the proposed UN CTCN assistance.

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The selection of the Eastern Samar proposal has yet to be finalized.

If approved, the initiative would provide a framework for neighboring local governments to work together in developing climate-resilient agriculture while addressing food security and nutrition concerns in Eastern Samar./coa