The goal of the Junior Expert Program is to create the necessary information for the sustainable management of the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park (NSMNP). The program focused on two themes:

1. The adoption of agroforestry in the buffer zones of the NSMNP.

2. The role of the Agta in the management of the NSMNP.

The program officially ended in August 2005 after three years of implementation. Two workshops were organized to disseminate the preliminary findings to local stakeholders:

1. Agta workshop.

The five-day Agta workshop carried the theme “Ako ay Agta, Ako ay Pilipino” was held from 15-19 August 2005 at the ATI-RTC, Garita Cabagan, Isabela. The workshop was conducted as a culminating activity of the three-year anthropological research among the Agta of the NSMNP conducted by Drs. Tessa Minter and Ms. Maria L. Ranay.

The workshop aimed to enable the researchers to present to the Agta participants the initial research results of the anthropological study and to receive feedback on the results. The workshop was also organized to provide training on various relevant laws to the adult participants (in cooperation with Tanggol Kalikasan), prepare a problem analysis of challenges the Agta face in their daily lives, and facilitate a dialogue between the participants and government officials about these problems. The workshop was attended by a total of 231 Agta participants composed of 115 adults and 116 children representing 68 Agta households from the municipalities of Tumauini, Ilagan, San Mariano, Maconacon, Dinapigue, Divilacan and Palanan.

2. Training on agroforestry and bio-intensive gardening.

The training aimed to upgrade the knowledge and skills in providing the proper orientation of the participants on agro-forestry farming and home gardening.

Thirty-one farmers coming from four municipalities of Isabela (Ilagan, Tumauini, Cabagan and San Mariano) and two municipalities of Cagayan (Peñablanca and Baggao) participated in the training.