Climate change implications for food security and livelihoods of small scale farmers

Adaptation challenge

• Exposure to climate risks in the northern to central Philippines seriously threatens rice farming and the sustainability of rice farmers’ income.

• Downscaled climate scenarios for the period centered on 2020, 2050 and 2080 show that in Tarlac province there will be more pronounced rainfall during the wet season and a drier dry season while in Pangasinan, more rainfall is likely to occur throughout the year.

• Communities practicing rainfed lowland and rainfed upland rice need improvement in knowledge, skills and social networking to cope with climate risks.

• Constraints in climate adaptation that are faced by local government units (LGUs) include inadequate human and financial resource capabilities, limited appreciation of the climate change phenomena, uncertainty in climate scenarios and limited knowledge about adaptation options.

Expected outputs

This study general aimed to determine the impacts of changing climate on rice production, availability and accessibility that can guide local policy actions towards climate compatible development. Specifically, it aimed to:
a) determine climate change trends and define possible climate change scenarios at the local level;
b) assess the potential impacts of climate change on rice production, marketing and distribution under different scenarios;
c) analyze the current adaptation strategies and adaptive capacity of households and institutions;
d) determine the alternative adaptation and policy options that have been and can be instituted to protect food security and the livelihoods of small scale farmers; and
e) recommend policy actions that could enhance adaptive capacity, food security and access to livelihood opportunities to mitigate climate change impacts.

Timescale of project

2012-2013

Scope

Philippines

Focal point

Dr. Linda M. Peñalba
Associate Professor
Institute of Agrarian and Rurban Development Studies
College of Public Affairs
University of the Philippines Los Baños, the Philippines
Email: lmpenalba@gmail.com

Partners

Linda M. Peñalba, Dulce D. Elazegui, Outhai Soukkhy, Mayo Grace C. Amit, Francis John F. Faderogao

University of the Philippines Los Banos, Northern Agricultural and Forestry College (Lao PDR)