Ms. Wendy Dunasco, Planning Officer of the Department of Agriculture’s Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (DA-CRAO), served as a key resource person during a specialized training conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Clark, Pampanga. Her session, titled “Mainstreaming Climate Resilience: Leveraging AMIA Decision Support Tools in the Integrated Planning of Agrarian Reform Community Clusters,” was held on May 19, 2026, as part of a week-long workshop for DAR field personnel and cluster point persons. This engagement highlights the enduring and productive partnership between the DA-CRAO and the DAR Project Management Service, which has seen the office invited to lead these discussions for consecutive years.
During the session, Ms. Dunasco focused on the practical application of the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) Decision Support Tools. These resources are designed to help planners identify specific climate risks and select the most effective adaptation measures for their respective regions. By integrating these tools into the preparation of development plans for Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) and Clusters (ARCCs), Ms. Dunasco provided participants with the technical capacity to move beyond traditional planning toward more data-driven, climate-resilient strategies. The training also sought to harmonize these climate measures with other frameworks, such as Gender and Development (GAD), agricultural value chain mapping, and agro-enterprise clustering.
The recurring invitation for DA-CRAO to participate in these DAR initiatives underscores the important role of inter-agency cooperation in addressing the complex challenges of modern agriculture. By consistently sharing expertise and technological tools across departmental lines, the DA and DAR are creating a more unified and resilient support system for Filipino farmers. The collaboration continues to empower local planners to safeguard the livelihoods of agrarian reform beneficiaries against the increasing unpredictability of the climate, ensuring that community development plans remain sustainable for years to come.##
