PACIFIC-RIM countries belonging to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) plan to map out strategies to adapt to and mitigate the ill effects of climate change on agriculture via a symposium which kicked off in Pasig City on Monday.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala noted that the symposium on climate change was one of the commitments made by the Philippines towards the achievement of food security under the Action Plan on Food Security included in the Niigata Declaration drawn up in Japan.
“At the end of the day, we expect to map out climate-change adaptation and mitigation strategies, provide appropriate financing mechanisms, and implement what needs to be done to sustain the productivity of our land, water and marine resources to feed our region’s ever-increasing population,” said Alcala in his speech before delegates to the symposium.
Alcala said that climate-change adaptation and mitigation strategies have been discussed in several circles and fora but that discussions have rarely touched adaptation strategies with the potential to mitigate global warming.
“Some research studies claim that there are significant opportunities for greenhouse-gas mitigation in agriculture that can be realized if the numerous barriers to adoption, like policy, institutional, social, educational and economic constraints could be overcome,” said Alcala.
The DA chief said he is looking at the symposium as a way by which the Philippines can learn more from the experts about the best practices to ensure that the country’s farm sector will be cushioned from the impact of climate change.
He noted that the government has rolled out a framework which treats “mitigation as a function of adaptation.” The government, he said, is fully integrating climate-change adaptation measures in all its programs and projects for the farm sector.
“For instance, using the concept of the Farmers’ Field School, we are putting up the ‘Climate Field Schools’ to integrate weather data gathering and forecasting, in addition to being an effective agricultural extension medium,” said Alcala.
He also cited the roll-out of the weather-based insurance system which he characterized as an effective risk-transfer mechanism and the aggressive promotion of organic agriculture to address both adaption and mitigation.
“We support the adoption of livestock breeds and fish strains, as well as organic inputs that improve productivity and make organic produce more affordable. We advocate the use of biological inputs to reduce or substitute agri-chemical use. We pursue biotechnology projects to improve farm productivity and food security while causing the least environmental harm,” said Alcala.
The DA noted that the rehabilitation of mangroves and replanting of coconuts are potential sources of carbon sink and has the potential to prevent the damages brought by storm surges.
“The Philippines has 3.2 million hectares devoted to coconut farming. Based on studies, per hectare of coconut farm could potentially absorb 17.54 tons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to P14.7 million per 1,000 hectares through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) valuation,” said Alcala.
The DA chief said that Apec member countries account for half of world grain production and that major exporters and importers of agricultural products are located in the region.
The need to find adaptation and mitigation measures, he said, is crucial because the region is “highly vulnerable” as most Apec economies are situated along the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire” where 75 percent of the world’s volcanoes are found and 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur.
Alcala said this would mean that Pacific-Rim countries experience over 70 percent of the world’s natural disasters that can disrupt food supply and livelihood, displace people and reduce access to food.
