The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Field Office-8 ( Eastern Visayas) has constructed 274 water harvesting facilities and 210 community gardens around the region under the Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished), an agency official reported on Wednesday (August 28).

“Based on the recent report we received, the DSWD’s Eastern Visayas  Field Office has already constructed 11 fish ponds in Northern Samar, 11 in Eastern Samar, and 252 in Southern Leyte under the Project LAWA and BINHI,” Asst. Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.

According to the DSWD spokesperson, the constructed water facilities will cater to 138,605 sq m of agricultural land and help farmers cope with dry spells due to the effects of El Niño and climate change.

“The building and operation of community gardens is estimated to boost the harvest of vegetable, crops and fruit-bearing crops in the region that can provide food to more than 26,000 families,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.

Under the implementation of Project LAWA and BINHI in the region, 3,800 partner-beneficiaries have undergone comprehensive training encompassing disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and practical skills gardening and water harvesting.

After the training, the participants engaged in 15 days of work based on activities identified by the local government units (LGUs), which included constructing water harvesting facilities, farming, forage production, and vermicomposting.

Project LAWA and BINHI beneficiaries later received Php7,500 for participating in the 20-day cash-for-work (CFW) and cash-for-training sessions (CFT) from the payouts held last July 13-31.

The twin projects are designed to maintain agricultural productivity during dry periods and to manage excess water during periods of heavy rainfall associated with La Niña.

The project is among the innovations in the DSWD under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian that focuses on mitigating the impacts of food insecurity and water scarcity caused by El Niño while preparing for the potential effects of the rainy season.

Project LAWA and BINHI was cited by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr in his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 22, prompting the DSWD chief to say that “our small idea has become a SONA program. #