The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) joined forces in 2019, leveraging nearly five decades of trusted science on the role of forests and trees in solving critical global challenges.
Climate change is posing challenges for farmers worldwide, especially smallholders. To adapt, Ykalinga farmers in Kalinga, Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines are learning about agroforestry.
The province of Kalinga is surrounded by mountains and divided into three distinct geographical areas, with the Chico River as the centre: the mountainous western portion; the valley of the river and its tributaries; and the plains between the river and Cagayan Province. Most of the residents grow crops and livestock for domestic needs and income.
The Ykalingas were traditionally hunters and gatherers but, over time, they shifted to agriculture and, given the biophysical limitations in the area — steep slopes, rockiness and shallow soils prone to erosion — built terraces on which they grow crops such as rice, usually harvested twice to thrice a year, and coffee, harvested annually. They also grow cash seasonal crops, such as sweet potato, beans, ‘sayote’ (Sechium edule (Jacq) Sw), papaya and squash, as well as perennials, including banana, avocado, coconut and citrus. They also supply vegetables and fruit to various parts of the country.
Climate change and agriculture in Kalinga
However, the Ykalingas are now experiencing various negative impacts of climate change — scorching weather during extended dry seasons and cold spells during the wet seasons, and declining water supply — which has led to farmers leaving their land and a corresponding large decrease in farm outputs, resulting in food insecurity and worsening poverty.
For instance, farmers used to harvest upland rice two to three times annually. Nowadays, some of them only harvest once a year. During rainy seasons, a temperature lower than 20 ⁰C stunts and delays growth, and during dry seasons, extreme heat causes the plants to wilt.
According to Dongui-is Bilong, a farmer for almost 40 years, rice farming and hunting have been his life and the primary means of sustaining his family. These activities used to be enough, he recalled. But now, they are no longer sufficient owing to climate change. Because of this, he is forced to seek other ways of earning money, like casual work on construction sites. This is a huge challenge for Bilong, considering his age.
Another elder in Lubuagan, Kalinga explained that they used to harvest trucks’ worth of vegetables and ‘cavans’ (a cavan is equal to 50 kg) of coffee from their small farms. But now, they rarely produce even half that of former years, also attributing these decreases to changes in climate. They believe that if the situation continues, the loss of interest in farming will also continue. Some of them have already sold their land to seek better livelihoods elsewhere.
Agroforestry for coping with climate change
When designed with diverse species and managed well, agroforestry systems can be a good source of livelihoods and help farmers adapt to climate change. According to Agustin Mercado Jr, ICRAF’s agroforestry specialist in the Philippines, establishing agroforestry systems with a good choice of species can help smallholders increase their yields through growing cash crops as primary sources of food and income, perennial crops and fruit trees as secondary sources, and timber for long-term income. This could help Ykalinga farmers maintain their traditional cropping practices at the same time as improving their livelihoods and safeguarding their environment.
Agroforestry has always been a part of the Ykalingas’ traditional farming practices. They usually grow root crops and rice on slopes, supported by trees, which in turn prevent soil erosion. Animal waste and leftover food are used as fertilizers. Some tribes in the province plant high-value crops alongside nitrogen-fixing plants, such as peanuts and beans.
They also use land-management systems in which trees and shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastures, as can still be seen in the municipalities of Balbalan, Pasil, Tanudan, Tinglayan and Lubuagan. With this system, they are able to make the production of food, firewood and clothing sustainable.
However, adopting more complex agroforestry systems that are adapted to changes in climates and markets can be a challenge. First, the prices of planting material for fruit trees and other high-value crops sold by local and accredited nurseries are often unaffordable. Second, during ICRAF’s work in Kalinga, it became clear that most farmers had little knowledge of more complex agroforestry systems and did not know how to deal adequately with pests and diseases, fertilization, and farm and financial management.
Building capacities to better face climate change
As part of ICRAF’s technical assistance to the Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management Project (INREMP) — which is led by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources with funding from the Asian Development Bank — various capacity-building activities have been conducted with smallholders and people’s organizations in Kalinga, such as demonstrations and training sessions in agroforestry, conservation farming, and rapid production of quality planting materials.
ICRAF field staff and site management officers from the Department also regularly visit farmers to provide them with information they need.
These learning activities not only equip the Ykalingas with the necessary technical know-how but also foster an appreciation of the many benefits of agroforestry for them, their families, and their communities.
Major challenges remain
The inconsistent demand for farm produce is a major a problem compounded by poor infrastructure. Often, farmers travel long distances over barely accessible roads just to find that there are few buyers, leading them to sell their products at low prices with little or no profit. Farmers need the Government to build better farm-to-market roads, which is a component of INREMP coordinated by the Department with local government units.
They also need assistance in entering markets to build stronger and more stable demand for their produce. Government institutions and NGOs could provide timely information of opportunities to be part of value chains. They could also link farmers to bigger players in the market, who can not only take up products but also help in improving farmers’ skills and knowledge.
For example, last March, ICRAF, in cooperation with the Department, conducted a Stakeholders’ Forum for INREMP in Butuan City. It showcased market opportunities in agroforestry, such as high-value timber and fuelwood production, aiming to help turn people’s organizations into viable tree enterprises.
As a technical provider, ICRAF is helping make agroforestry and conservation practices more attractive to farmers, demonstrating that adoption is worth the time and effort.
World Agroforestry (ICRAF) is a centre of scientific and development excellence that harnesses the benefits of trees for people and the environment. Knowledge produced by ICRAF enables governments, development agencies and farmers to utilize the power of trees to make farming and livelihoods more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable at multiple scales. ICRAF is one of the 15 members of the CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. We thank all donors who support research in development through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.
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