Local government units (LGUs) need to invest in the development of a climate-smart agriculture that fits the needs of the community in an effort to address the adverse effects of sustained weather fluctuations, according to a study published by think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).
A new policy note, authored by PIDS senior research fellow Connie Bayudan-Dacuycuy and research analyst Lora Kryz Baje, analyzes chronic food poverty and how it is affected by weather variability.
It finds that chronic food poverty is higher for households that experience rainfall deviation than for similar households that do not.
“Given that community-based development of good agricultural and livelihood practices harnesses local skills and knowledge, it instills strong ownership in the community and climate change adaptation is likely to be successful,” Dacuycuy said.
They also pushed for enhanced technical assistance for LGUs, noting some adaptation funds remain untapped.
The study said the Climate Change Commission (CCC) can enhance their technical assistance by providing LGUs an annual technical workshop on crafting proposals with strong climate change adaptation initiatives.
