Farmers, fishers learn disaster resiliency

CEBU, Philippines - Farmers, in a conference yesterday, learned of models on disaster resiliency like the storing of seeds so that in the event of typhoons destroying their crops, they have these spare seeds they could use to replant.

Preparing a hazard map was also encouraged so both farmers and fisher folks may have a guide on how they could best manage their area in times of natural calamities to minimize damages and losses. Hazard maps could guide them on which areas are prone to landslide, flashfloods and other geologic hazards.

Communities were also encouraged to create quick response teams that will be on standby for immediate response like rescue and search operations in times of emergencies.

Andres “Chito” Tionko, chairman of the Philippine Network of Rural Development Institutes Inc., during a two-day “Visayas Conference on Building Disaster Resilient Communities” which culminated yesterday, said that one of the objectives of the gathering was to educate farmers to be resilient in the face of calamities and disasters which are effects of climate change.

This as the impact of the global warming is already felt by the farmers and fisher folks especially in rural areas through changing weather patterns which in turn affect their cropping patterns.

The conference was attended by rural community leaders, local government unit heads and other concerned government and non-government agencies that are Philnet’s partners in assisting farmers and fisher folks in improving their lives.

Tionko said that farmers must know the effects of global warming for them to understand more the changing weather patterns they are experiencing and complaining about.

The activity also aimed to give ideas to farmers and fisher folks on how they could adapt easily to these changes in the environment as impacts of global warming are deemed irreversible.

For the LGUs and government agencies, Philnet sought to gain active response and commitment of support to help them address or, if not, minimize the impact of climate change to poor farmers.

Tionko said that if they are to base things on the current changes in weather patterns, they expect “extremer weather events, more typhoons and droughts” in the next years.

This gives anxiety to them that whatever assistance they give to the farmers and fisher folks will be put to waste if the latter would not be able to manage to survive these calamities.

Further, Tionko said that they are now convincing farmers to avail of crop insurance to increase farmers’ capacity to cope with disasters.

Also, Philnet is strengthening its campaign and training to farmers in shifting from chemical to organic farming.

Tionko also said that reducing or totally phasing out the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in farming reduces the amount of greenhouse gases emissions in the atmosphere.

As of the moment, he said, 33 percent of greenhouse gases emission comes from agricultural activities.

Part of the global effort in mitigating the impact of climate change are testimonies from affected farmers to be compiled and submitted as evidence in global climate hearings, a political campaign that seeks to punish those developed countries responsible for global warming.

One testimony could come from the barangay captain of Malingin in Bogo, Marilyn Calidguid. She said that Bogo farmers used to harvest thrice a year, but now only twice.

Erratic patterns in weather give farmers a hard time determining the appropriate time to plant. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)