ABSTRACT
The Mag-uugmad Foundation Inc (MFI) has its origins in 1981 in the Cebu soil and water conservation programme (CSWCP) established by the US NGO World Neighbors. Cebu is an island located in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It is predominantly hilly with 70 per cent of the island with slopes of greater than 18 per cent and severe deforestation has taken place. Recent satellite photos show that virgin forest cover has now disappeared. Population pressure on the remaining land is severe. The primarily rainfed farms average about 0.75 hectares each and income from these farms is barely enough to sustain an average six-person household.
