المنتدى العالمي المعني بالأمن الغذائي والتغذية

Given the emerging challenges pose by climate change and severe environmental degradation, there are observed, both small and huge practices, that could help promote food security and improve nutrition of marginalized families (undernourishment as well as obesity) in the Philippines, Northern Luzon in particular. They are as follows:

1. On landscapes:  Degraded forests can no longer immediately rehabilitated, thus those settlers were given optins to plant fruit beaing trees, forest trees and shrubs that have high value and could serve as both sources of food and as weindbreaks to strong typhoons; families who have farms (both with small lots and larger lots) were also encouraged to plant fruit trees as well as high value cash crops as sources of income of families and as good sources of nutrition for their families. As staple foods, cornlands and ricelands are also being maintained and expanded further (in idle areas with no existing cash crop) where minimal irrigation is required.  In order to also promote healthy benefits of foods, indigenous food sources are being propagated and organic farming promoted.

2. In relation to livestock, conservation of native stocks are being promoted through research and development and community-based interventions.  It is also encouraged among households to rear native chickens and other poultry and native swine to support their protein needs.  This is being sustained through local or village level ordinances or policies to promote both food security, nutrition and economic and social empowerment. 

3. The role of women in gardening and home-based rearing of animals cannot be undermined.  In fact, in this part of teh country, women initiates farming most of the times while men will provide for inputs.

Challenges:

Policy implementation about these matters should be further strengthened and government should provide incentives to initiatives of farming communities.