The Department of Agriculture (DA) has launched an exhibit showcasing the resilience of Filipino farmers and fishermen against the harsh effects of climate change.
Newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Kat Pimentel, wife of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, led the opening of the exhibit dubbed “AMIA Isang DekaDA Stories of Resilience.”
The event is part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA), a DA project highlighting the strength and determination of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk in the face of climate change.
Mrs. Pimentel underscored the importance of the AMIA program in the context of climate change.
She praised the AMIA program for its efforts in training communities, particularly those dependent on agriculture and fisheries, to become resilient to the adverse effects of climate change.
She also highlighted a special provision in the proposed 2024 DA budget aimed at enhancing the resilience of agriculture communities through disaster-resilient infrastructure projects and the development of climate-adaptive seeds.
Pimentel said climate change has brought environmental challenges that directly impact the country’s agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors.
She pointed out that the contribution of these sectors to the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) had been fluctuating partly attributed to the challenges posed by climate change.
Pimentel commended the DA for spearheading the AMIA program, which currently covers 181 villages across the country, with 20 of them in partnership with the Rice Watch Action Center.
“These model communities serve as sources of best practices and centers of innovation for other communities to learn from,” she said.
“In these AMIA villages, we find the stories of resilience, of Filipinos who do not give up, who instead fight to maintain their livelihood and the environment,” Pimentel said.
“AMIA is not just a program; it is the realization of a dream for a more sustainable and prosperous future for all of us,” she added.
“Our farmers and fisherfolk are the unsung heroes of our society. They provide us food and help our economy grow,” Pimentel said.
However, they are also the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, she noted.