As part of the Department of Agriculture Cordillera’s (DA-CAR) support to local actions on climate adaptation and mitigation, a handbook on Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) containing a complete account of information on the farming ecosystems in the region will soon be available for the sectors involved in the agriculture sector.
Crisante Rosario, DA-CAR Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) focal person, explained that after its final review in the third quarter of this year, the handbook will soon be available for use, particularly by farmers, local government units, agriculture extension workers, and students, providing them with the necessary information on the impact of climate change on the agriculture industry in the region.
“Our objective is to review our initiatives on the compendium or the compiled known information and knowledge on climate resilient agriculture and practices initially incorporated in the handbook, but will be validated based on the expertise of our representatives from the different banner programs, research, including the Agriculture Program Coordinating Offices of the DA, making this as the output of our regional office,” Rosario said.
The CRA handbook focuses on three pillars, particularly adaptation, productivity, and mitigation for farming areas in the highland portions of the Cordilleras that produce vegetables, aside from the impact of climate change in the lowland areas of the region that produce rice, corn, and lowland vegetables.
“Another objective of this handbook is to incorporate the mitigation and adaptation aspect, wherein technology to be developed or used must address the hazard brought about by climate change, aside from the handbook addressing a particular CRA practice,” Rosario added.