FORTIFYING AGRICULTURE IN MANOLO FORTICH: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION

Coordination Meeting and Workshop of Agriculture Sectors in Manolo Fortich as a Pathway toward Climate-Resilient Agricultural Practices in the municipality

In support of farmers—especially during climate-related calamities—the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) conducted a two-day Coordination Meeting and Workshop through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) with the Agriculture Sector of Manolo Fortich on October 9–10, 2025.

The activity was facilitated by personnel from the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) and held at the Technical Skills and Development Center on the first day and at the New Government Center Conference Room on the second day.

Through the use of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)—an approach to community development—the participants were capacitated to assess current local situations and establish strategies for the future.

Adapting and Mitigating Climate-Related Agricultural Challenges

The third priority in the 10-Point Agenda of Municipal Mayor Rogelio N. Quiño is Agriculture Support Services to Farmers. In line with this, the Local Government of Manolo Fortich fully supports and participates in initiatives that assist farmers, particularly Indigenous Peoples (IP) farmers.

The AMIA program, a flagship initiative of the Department of Agriculture, aims to build climate resilience in the agriculture sector—including crops, livestock, and fisheries—by developing climate-smart villages. These serve as local platforms for adopting technologies that can withstand or recover from calamities such as drought and flooding.

Manolo Fortich was chosen as one of the municipalities in Bukidnon for the establishment of a climate-smart village, based on data-driven vulnerability assessments. “Ang AMIA is a flagship program under sa Department of Agriculture, under sa CRAO o Climate Resilient Agriculture Office, focusing sa adaptations and mitigation initiative or practices and technologies. Nag focus ni siya sa mga hazards. Ang Manolo Fortich is prone to drought, mao nang naa ang Bliss-Lingion [Multi-Purpose Cooperative] ug existing FCA (Farmer’s Cooperative Association), kay tungod affected ang Manolo sa drought (hulaw),” explained AMIA Technical Staff Angelo N. Pandan.

The Full Force of the Agriculture Sector

During the workshop, participants were tasked to create social and resource maps, seasonal calendars, food and feed supply calendars, problem-and-solution tree analyses, and a historical timeline of agriculture in the municipality, among others.

Participants from the LGU included representatives from the Municipal Agriculture Office, Municipal Engineering Office, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Municipal Planning and Development Office.

Also present were chairpersons and representatives from various agricultural associations, organizations, cooperatives, and barangay representatives. Sangguniang Bayan Member and Committee Chairperson on Farmers, Councilor Elzevir Dagunlay, was also in attendance, showing the strong support of the legislative body for the agriculture sector.

The workshop was hosted by AMIA personnel from the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10, including:

* April Grace M. Racines, Agriculturist II and AMIA Focal Person

* Angelo N. Pandan, AMIA Technical Staff

* Mary Grace F. Roque, AMIA Technical Staff

* Eljanrey A. Bastida, AMIA Technical Staff

* Lovely R. Guinayon, AMIA Technical Staff

A Call for Food and Livelihood Security Initiatives

The ongoing global and national crises highlight the urgent need for collaborative initiatives and programs such as AMIA. As food security continues to be threatened by climate-related disasters beyond human control, it becomes essential to utilize technology, combine sectoral knowledge, and strengthen community participation.

These actions are vital to building community-driven strategies capable of managing climate-related risks and ensuring sustainable livelihoods—particularly for the most vulnerable farming communities.