A preliminary science-based roadmap for improving soil health and land management in selected Philippine provinces will be drafted through a multi-stakeholder workshop. It aims to strengthen agricultural productivity, address soil degradation, and promote the efficient use of resources in the country's farming systems.
The two-day workshop, titled “Charting a Science-Based Roadmap to Soil Health: A Multi-Stakeholder Workshop to Co-Design the Theory of Change, Results Framework and Roadmap for Selected Philippine Agricultural Provinces,”is being held today, June 23 to June 24, 2026, at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.
Expected outputs of the workshop include a collaboratively developed theory of change, results framework, and a preliminary roadmap that will soon guide provinces in formulating soil health strategies tailored to their local conditions. The final roadmap, which will be completed by the end of the year, will outline governance and coordination mechanisms, stakeholder participation processes, capacity-building requirements, institutional gaps, and resource mobilization strategies needed to sustain soil health initiatives.
The initiative responds to the growing need for evidence-based approaches to address soil degradation and declining land productivity in the Philippines. By promoting science-driven decision-making, the workshop seeks to support more effective and sustainable soil and land management practices while contributing to national efforts to improve agricultural resilience and optimize the use of agricultural inputs, including petroleum-based fertilizers.
Recognizing the diverse soil conditions across the country, the proposed approach emphasizes local government leadership and stakeholder participation to ensure that soil health strategies are responsive to provincial needs. Insights generated from participating provinces may eventually contribute to the development of a national soil health strategy and inform future policy and legislative actions.
The workshop will feature discussions on Australia's experience in developing its National Soil Strategy, current soil health conditions in the Philippines, and research findings from partner provinces.
Australian soil scientists and experts will share lessons learned from implementing soil health initiatives and partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region. Philippine researchers and stakeholders will likewise discuss key challenges and opportunities in soil and land management and assess provincial readiness across scientific, institutional, policy, financial, and community dimensions.
The workshop is hosted by the House Committee on Science and Technology and is supported by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
Participants are expected to include representatives from state universities and colleges, national government agencies, local government units from agricultural provinces, international organizations, and legislative offices. Among the provinces represented are Agusan del Sur, Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Laguna, Leyte, Quezon, and Tarlac.
Soil experts from Australia and the Philippines will facilitate technical discussions and collaborative planning sessions throughout the event.
The workshop forms part of ongoing efforts to foster partnerships and strengthen the role of science, technology, and innovation in advancing sustainable agriculture and soil stewardship in the Philippines.