KAUSWAGAN, Lanao del Norte (PIA) – The ‘From arms to farms’ program of Kauswagan town in Lanao del Norte is among this year’s winning policies in the 2024 Future Policy Award, as announced by the World Future Council.
Globally known as the “Policy Oscars,” this annual World Future Policy Awards attracts numerous nominations from various parts of the world.
This organic farming program of Kauswagan town or the “From Arms to Farms” won by reintegrating former combatants through sustainable agriculture, dramatically reducing poverty and fostering peace between Christian and Muslim communities.”
“As mayor, I can proudly say all 13 of Kauswagan’s villages are now 100 percent into organic farming. Since 2010, no armed conflict-related crimes have been reported. I hope the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) will take notice and propagate our organic farming model to the rest of the country,” said Kauswagan Mayor Rommel Arnado.
Launched in 2010, the “From Arms to Farms” program has already reintegrated over 5,000 former combatants into society through sustainable agriculture.
Arnado said the initiative addressed poverty, distrust in governance, and historical inequalities, transforming the municipality into a model of peace and sustainable development.
The “From Arms to Farms” program is made possible by training participants in organic farming and financial literacy, equipping them to build stable livelihoods.
Community dialogues and conflict resolution foster reconciliation, while bi-weekly meetings with local leaders ensure transparency and inclusivity.
The mayor emphasized that cultivating over 6,000 hectares of land has enhanced food security and revitalized the local economy.
By reducing poverty rates from 80 percent in 2010 to 9.1 percent by 2020, the program fostered peace between Christian and Muslim communities. It demonstrates how innovative, integrated solutions can drive lasting change.
Before winning the 2024 Future Policy Award, “From Arms to Farms” gained national recognition, earning the Galing Pook Award in 2014. This program recently established Kauswagan as the Philippines’ most innovative, efficient, and sustainable municipality.
The 2024 World Future Council also recognized Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, which focuses on gender equality, empowering women and girls, and promoting women’s leadership in peacebuilding and security.
Other honorees include the Moriori Peace Covenant, or Nunuku’s Law, a pledge to non-violence, peace, and sustainability by the Indigenous Moriori of Rekohu in New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, and Wales’ Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015), which requires public bodies to consider the long-term impacts of decisions on future generations and establishes a Future Generations Commissioner to oversee its implementation. (IJBD/PIA-10/with reports from Kauswagan LGU)
