Documenting and Promoting
Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge
and Climate Change Adaptation in
Selected Areas in the Philippines:
Towards Enhancing Community-Level
Food Security
Oscar B. Zamora, Lucille Elna P. de Guzman,
Gloria Luz M. Nelson, Rosario V. Tatlonghari,
Maria Victoria O. Espaldon, Joan Pauline P. Talubo
and Ma. Rowena Beatriz Q. InzonInternational Conference on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation for Food and
Environmental Security 21-22 November 2012 , SEARCA, College, Los Banos, Laguna
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
OBSERVED CHANGES
IN CLIMATE
unpredictable onset of rainfall
increase/decrease in rainfall
frequency and intensity
increase in temperature
sea level rise
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
INDIGENOUS
AGRICULTURAL
KNOWLEDGE and
CLIMATE CHANGE
ADAPTATION STRATEGIES
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
HIGH LEVEL OF CROP
and LIVESTOCK DIVERSITY
rice
corn
banana
root crops (sweet potato, cassava, taro, purple yam, lesser yam)
coffee (robusta and excelsa)
vegetables
abaca (wild and domesticated)
fruit trees, coconut, etc.
swine, poultry, cow, water buffalo, horse, goat, duck, etc.
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
isolated (Batanes)
farms far from main roads (other IP groups)
no capital to buy inputs
deep understanding of natural processes
LOW DEPENDENCE
ON EXTERNAL INPUTS
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
LONGER
FALLOW
PERIOD
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
USE OF TRADITIONAL
VARIETIES
Purple yam– kalapuya, bisaya, galas, malagkit
Corn– tiniguib, senyorita, pilit, kiyabot
Rice– caporcas, sulig, malido, asuzena, putot, kapigsik,
tres marias
Fruit crops – chayi, payin, payakpak
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
INDIGENOUS
STORAGE
PRACTICES
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
RISK WARNING SIGNALS
a bird locally known as alimukon(Phapitreron leucotis), a white-eared brown
dove
timing of farming activities based on:
– wind pattern (e.g. Habagat)
– appearance of stars/constellations
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
LOCAL NAME MONTH OF
APPEARANCE
RELATED AGRICULTURAL
ACTIVITY
WESTERN
EQUIVALENT
Baha December to February start of kaingin or clearing of
forest
Taurus
Pandarawa January start of planning what kind of
crops to be planted and how
wide is the area to be planted
Pleiades
Balatik February start of planting and setting of
traps to protect the crops from
animals
Orion’s belt
Malihe March planting of rice, corn or
vegetables
Gibbang April and May end of planting season; signifies
rich harvest
Gemini
Malara May stop planting Canis Minor
Lepu late May time to clean or clear the fields
while waiting for harvest time
Aquila
Buwaya June start of the rainy season
The stars and constellations of the Matigsalug Manobo of Bukidnon according to their order of appearance in the night sky (Burgonio 2008; Pilarte 2011).
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
OTHER
PRACTICES
organic farming
indigenous crop protection
adjustment of working hours in the field
free ranged animals
harvest of wild plants and animals from the
forest
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
OTHER
PRACTICES
Indigenous food preservation
rituals and belief in spirits
bayanihan
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
FUTURE…
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Indigenous adaptation strategies can
significantly contribute to existing body of
knowledge on building climate change-
resilient farming communities
Still need assistance especially during
extreme events like flooding, landslides,
drought, isolation, etc
need to continuously document, promote,
validate, and exchange indigenous
knowledge
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012
Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation CSC-CA, UP LB
THANK YOU!
International Conference on Climate Change Im
pacts and Adaptation for Food and Environm
ental Security 2012