The rural and urban areas within Sicaba and Malogo River systems have experienced variable rainfall conditions and droughts thus making the Sicaba and Malogo River Watershed’s water supply more unpredictable, affecting both agriculture and domestic needs in communities and neighboring LGUs. The climate impacts have affected the biodiversity of the forests and river systems, including the livelihood and food security of small communities especially women farmers.

Project ORCAS is designed as nature-based solutions to address climate change impacts and societal challenges, aims to develop community-based regenerative agroforestry and organic farming as biodiversity friendly enterprise (BDFEs) to small farming people’s organizations focusing mostly women farmers within the Sicaba and Malogo River Watershed areas. The project covers the Local Government Units of Silay City and Victorias City within the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP).

The proposed regenerative agroforestry and organic farms focused on reforestation and enhancement of watershed areas and farms with coffee, cacao, bamboo, fruit trees, and other endemic/indigenous tree species to maintain the biodiversity and rehabilitation of the river system. The two partner farmer People’s Organizations will be trained on regenerative agro-forestry and organic farming for vegetables, rice, and seasonal crops as part of their BDFEs. These small farmers will be

capacitated on the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) for organic certification and enterprise development. All planned actions are part of the local watershed plans and agro-forestry programs of the NNNP Protected Area Management Plan. BDFEs are identified as livelihood support to local communities under the Negros Island Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan.

At the end of the project, it is envisioned that established community farms will be linked to the market for agro-product buyers and develop as an Organic BioDistrict for the partner LGUs. The project supports the improvement of food security, biodiversity protection and sustainable agriculture which supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals (1,2,5,8,9,11,12,14,15) including the Philippine Development Plan, DENR Biodiversity Program, the National Organic Agriculture program by the Department of Agriculture, and the Provincial Government’s program on food security, agriculture, sustainable environmental management, and advancement of trade and investments.