Project Impacts
Since it began its operation, Trowel Development Foundation, Inc. has been helping smallholder farmers, small-scale fishers, and rural women by providing integrated asset support - human, social, physical, natural and financial - to community-managed farming and fishing activities. The primary goals of Trowel in delivering the assistance are to ensure food security and nutrition, sustain income and livelihoods, and conserve forest, agriculture, and fishery resources.
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Trowel also aims to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and increase disaster preparedness and reduce vulnerabilities of farming and fishing communities. To date, Trowel has delivered more than 30 million pesos (US$800,000) worth of assistance through its various programs and projects, namely: ISLA CORAL Program, Phases 1 and 2; Coconut Farm Development Program, and SHARE A LIFE Project among others.
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3. Rehabilitated and Protected Marine Biodiversity – Established 50-hectare fish sanctuary, restored 100 hectares of denuded mangrove areas and protected 1,338 existing mangrove forest, and eliminated destructive fishing practices that improved fish habitats and consequently resulted in the reappearance and increased populations of commercially important fishes, crustaceans, mollusks and seashells among others.
Specifically, the overall status of the mangroves has significantly improved from poor to good condition with average crown cover recorded at 34.27 percent, percent regeneration of 2.31, the average height of 8.85 meters and minimal disturbance. The population of commercially important fish species has also improved in the fishing areas near the fish sanctuary and in Lalaguna Bay where the closed fishing season is regularly observed from March to May with fish abundance documented at 11.80 and 15.67 per square meter respectively. The status of the corals had likewise improved from poor to fair condition with only 18.35 percent live coral cover in 2006 (48.84 out of 204.42 hectares of coral reef) to 34.73% or 70.96 hectares in 2015 4. Mitigated Climate Change Impacts - Rehabilitated 100 hectares of previously denuded mangrove areas s and protected more than 1,338 hectares of existing mangrove forest that sequester 2,084 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually and saved settlement areas from the devastating impacts of typhoons and sea-level rise. |
The ISLA CORALS (Integrated Support for Local Actions Towards Coastal and Ocean Resources Amelioration and Livelihood Sustainability) Program is a community-based coastal and ocean resources management and co-management initiative with its twin thrusts being economic security and environmental sustainability. The program strategies were fishery productivity enhancement, livelihood diversification, marine biodiversity conservation and participatory governance. The major outcomes of the program to date are:
1. Increased Food Security – Eliminated destructive fishing practices, protected fish juveniles and spawners, and improved fishery habitats that resulted in increased fish catch from two kilograms for an 8-hour fishing expedition before the program to 30 kilograms based on the 2016 fish catch monitoring and inventory. The increased in fish catch subsequently increased the availability of food particularly the source of protein for the fishing households and the coastal communities; 2. Sustainable Livelihoods – Implemented eco-friendly aquaculture -tie-crab fattening, multi-species herbivore fish culture involving rabbit fish and shrimp, and seaweed farming – that significantly increased fishery aggregated income from US$65 dollars to US$200 dollars a month. Likewise, the US$20,000 credit fund granted by the program to 10 fishers organizations and nine (9) women livelihood associations used by men and women fishers for tie-crab fattening, multi-species herbivore fish culture, seaweed farming, and fish vending increased to more than US$89,000 as of 2016; |