Certainly! Here’s a sample of how key risks were successfully mitigated in real-world or representative agroforestry and agarwood projects. You can tailor these for a roundtable discussion, especially if you’re presenting to investors, co-op members, or development partners.
Example 1: Land Tenure Clarity – Agarwood Plantation in Palawan
Risk: Dispute over land ownership halted plantation activities.
Mitigation: The project formed an SPV and secured a 25-year notarized land use agreement (LUA) with a legally recognized indigenous community, endorsed by the NCIP and LGU. A GIS-based land mapping survey ensured no boundary conflicts.
Outcome: The project restarted within 3 months and now has secure legal tenure with community support.
Example 2: Farmer Mistrust in a Cooperative in Mindanao
Risk: Farmers feared they wouldn’t see benefits from a managed sandalwood plantation.
Mitigation: The coop implemented a profit-sharing model with quarterly financial reports, transparent bank passbooks, and regular farm visits by field officers. A local leader was elected as a co-op liaison.
Outcome: Member participation rose by 60%, and absenteeism during maintenance dropped significantly.
Example 3: Long Payback Mitigated via Carbon Credits – Mixed Agroforestry Project
Risk: Investors hesitated due to 8-year wait for returns.
Mitigation: The project registered for voluntary carbon credits under the Verra VCS framework. It generated early revenues starting Year 3 from carbon sequestration and used this to cover operational costs.
Outcome: The project became cash-flow positive earlier than expected and attracted additional private investment.
Example 4: Low Resin Yield in Early Agarwood Trials
Risk: Less than 15% of inoculated trees produced quality resin.
Mitigation: Switched to a dual-action inoculation protocol using Fusarium oxysporum + MnO₂ and used tissue-cultured trees with higher responsiveness.
Outcome: Resin formation rose to over 60%, improving project viability and oil quality.