QUEZON CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA), in collaboration with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, is set to launch the “Adapting Philippine Agriculture to Climate Change” (APA) project. An inception workshop for this landmark initiative will be held on June 18–19, 2024, at the Citadines Roces in Quezon City. This event marks a significant milestone in the nation’s fight against climate change, which has severely impacted its agricultural sector.
High-level officials and stakeholders from various sectors are expected to attend this important event, underlining the project’s importance and the urgency of climate action. The Philippines, ranking 4th on the Long-Term Climate Risk Index, is highly vulnerable to climate change, with extreme weather events like dangerous heat levels of up to 47°C and devastating typhoons, such as Typhoon Aghon, causing severe damage to agriculture.
The inception workshop will gather key stakeholders to discuss and integrate technical support services, including training, provision of production inputs, market access, and financing. The goal is to improve food security, increase household incomes, and enhance resilience across nine provinces identified as climate change hot spots, ultimately benefiting 20 million rural residents.
Climate crisis: An urgent call for action
The Philippines has faced unprecedented challenges due to climate change. Recent extreme weather events, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon, have resulted in global temperatures reaching new highs and making food production more complex and costly. Filipino farmers, crucial to the nation’s food security, are under immense pressure. The DA reported that Typhoon Aghon alone caused P81.84 million in damages, affecting 948 hectares of rice, corn, cassava, and high-value crops, with a significant loss of production.
Building a resilient future through the APA project
The APA project aims to strengthen the resilience of 1.25 million climate-vulnerable rural smallholder farmers by promoting Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) technologies and enhancing their capacities to develop CRA enterprises. The project, supported by a USD 39.2 million fund—comprising a USD 26.2 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and USD 12.9 million in co-financing from the DA and DOST-PAGASA—will directly benefit these farmers by:
- Raising awareness of climate risks and risk-reduction measures.
- Building capacity to develop sustainable agricultural enterprises.
- Providing access to finance and related technologies.
- Adopting climate-resilient agricultural practices.
A collaborative effort for a sustainable future
This collaborative effort is a significant step towards building a climate-resilient agriculture sector in the Philippines. By safeguarding the future of Filipino farmers and ensuring the sustainability of the nation’s agricultural production, the APA project exemplifies a proactive response to the climate crisis.
