TABUK CITY, KALINGA — In the face of increasing climate challenges, an indigenous community in the Northern Philippines has slowly restored traditional agricultural practices, proving that traditional cultural practices can provide modern solutions.
Barangay Dupag in Tabuk City, Kalinga, has just completed a year-long project to improve food security and revive good traditional agricultural practices. The initiative, supported by the Taiwan Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP)’s 2nd Endowment Program of Austronesian Community Development and implemented by the Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services (CorDisRDS), has produced satisfactory results despite significant challenges.
Irrigation Revival
The restoration of the Magpala Communal Irrigation System was at the heart of the project. The completion of the irrigation system was timely for the ‘sawali’ or main cropping for rice production in the community. The 29 family beneficiaries are now using the improved irrigation system with enough water supply.
The renovation involved the concreting of a weir or impounding dam at the source, the installation of HDPE pipes, and the construction of eight distribution boxes. The community’s involvement was crucial, with 453 man-days of labor contributed through the traditional “angkas” or community work system.
Blending Tradition with Modern Techniques
The project also focused on educational initiatives. A training program introduced the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technologies, which align closely with traditional practices. Most of the SRI practices are known by the community members since these are old agricultural practices but not commonly practiced due to the influence of conventional farming,
Five farmers have established trial farms to demonstrate these techniques, which include proper seedling spacing and intermittent watering—a practice particularly relevant in water-scarce conditions.
Policy Development and Sustainability
A key outcome of the project was the formulation of operation and maintenance policies for the irrigation system. These policies, rooted in cultural practices, address collective maintenance, rotational water use during scarcity, and watershed protection.
The policy crafted was based on the present situation of the irrigation system and the cultural practices of the community. This approach ensures that the project’s benefits will be sustained long-term.
Challenges and Resilience
The project faced significant challenges, primarily due to an El Niño-induced drought that affected the region. This climate event not only delayed the project by two months but also highlighted the urgent need for such initiatives.
The months of April and May were the peak of the drought that brought much worry among community members. Despite these setbacks, the community’s resilience was observed, with members adapting their schedules and priorities to ensure the project’s completion.
Looking Ahead
While the project has concluded, its impact continues to ripple through the community. The younger generation, though initially hesitant, has shown increased interest in preserving traditional knowledge.
CorDisRDS has committed to ongoing monitoring and support. The experience of implementing this project was challenging, especially in how to influence the younger community to participate in community work (angkas). Community members learned good values on how to preserve good practices and traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples despite the influences of new technologies and the effects of disasters.
As climate change continues to pose challenges to agricultural communities worldwide, the success in Barangay Dupag offers an example of how traditional knowledge, community engagement, and modern techniques can come together to build resilience and ensure food security.