LGIS of the Safe Water Project

This report compiles the Lessons Learned, Good Practices, Innovations and Success Stories (LGIS) of the Safe Water Project (2019-2024) in Region 12.

LESSONS LEARNED
Scope
• Provision of technical assistance is backed with evidence and science-based which facilitates strategic interventions on water supply and sanitation.
• Inclusive and integrated approach has earned support and collaboration from LGUs, NGOs, and community partners.
• Technical assistance at the provincial level on water resource management.
• Able to demonstrate the relationships of improved water resource management and resilient water supply and sanitation.

Cost
• The cost is reasonable and enough for the technical assistance project. Partners also provide its counterpart (monetary and non-monetary) contributions to the attainment of goals.

Quality
• Interventions resulted to significant changes and adheres to standards, and established data for informed decisions.

Time
• The pandemic was not a hindrance in implementing the project. The impact of interventions, particularly on WRM, goes beyond project life, i.e., increases in forest cover, and improves streamflow.

Procurement
• Followed the USAID procurement rules and procedures.

Communication
• Followed the USAID communication protocols.

Human Resources
• Followed USAID guidelines.
• Followed DAI Global LLC guidelines on Ethics, security and safety, and workplace harassment, and no retaliation.

Risk Management
• Established COVID 19 work guidelines, security and cyber security protocols.

GOOD PRACTICES
Evidence-based and integrative planning
• Evidence-based and integrative planning on water security, watershed management, conservation, and rehabilitation.

Capability strengthening of watershed stakeholders
• Trained the Local Government Unit of General Santos City and the academe on groundwater assessment and monitoring.
• Trained Sarangani and General Santos City stakeholders on climate risk assessment, GIS mapping and analysis, water monitoring, and water demand management.
• Gender Equality and Women Empowerment

Enhanced and strengthened institutional mechanisms for sustainability of interventions
• Facilitated the organization of the Watershed Management Councils of Buayan-Malungon River Basin and Siguel River Watershed.

Nature-based solutions in water resources management
• Trained and established demonstration farms on Sloping Agricultural Land Technology with infiltration canals in Sarangani and General Santos City. Demonstration farms were established and planted with lemongrass, coffee, fruit trees, and vegetables.
• With Kasilak Foundation and the Local Government Units, the project facilitated initiatives on riverbank stabilization through bamboo dike technology in Sitio Campo, Lower Mainit.

Established partnerships on sustainable livelihood and water resources management interventions
• Coffee-based agroforestry
• Sustainable purple yam production
• Community-based forest patrolling and tree growing activities
• Community-based river monitoring and streamflow measurement
• Community-savings and credit formation

INNOVATIONS
• Utilization of the manpower from DOLE-TUPAD in the reforestation activities of the project and in implementing the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) in some agricultural lands
• Formulation of the Hydrologic Studies of the 26 watersheds within Sarangani
• Establishment of Model Farms for Sloping Agricultural Technology through the Adopt-a-Farm program in partnership with the local farmers, and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office
• Integrated and Inclusive Water Security Planning

SUCCESS STORIES
• Installed community-based river quality and stream flow monitoring. SWP was able to provide water monitoring instruments to Malungon and Maasim.

• Improved soil and water conservation measures at the community level. Establishment of SALT
model farms with infiltration canals.

• Capacitation of 25 coffee mentors and commodity-based People’s Organizations. PO won awards at the regional level in quality coffee competitions (Robusta). After capacitation, POs were able to sell their green coffee bean at an increased price.

• Output-based Activity – Blended Financing (OBA-BF) – Alabel. Water Supply and Sanitation established tripartite partnerships (LGU, NGO- Financing Institution, Community Households) in establishing community latrines.

• Inag Farm, through applying the technology from the training provided by Safe Water, was able to increase its coffee production and expand its market. The farmers were able to avail programs from the government to fund their identified gaps in their coffee production, such as lack of trainings, source of seedlings and other farm inputs.

• Barren lands were converted to productive lands. Through their reforestation projects, the barren lands were converted to productive lands applying the SALT. The lands were planted with vegetables and fruit-bearing trees. The beneficiaries of DOLE-TUPAD became instruments in establishing the SALT in the municipality of Alabel.