Climate risk vulnerability assessment on the production of heirloom rice (Oryza sativa L.) and Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in Mountain Province, Philippines

Abstract

Climate change has brought negative and adverse impacts to agricultural production in the Cordillera Administrative Region, including two of the most important agricultural crops, namely, Arabica coffee and heirloom rice. This study was conducted to assess the climate risk vulnerability on the production of these two agricultural products in the municipalities of Mountain Province, Philippines. The climate risk vulnerability was assessed based on the three general and most widely used climate impact factors as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), namely, exposure to hazard, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The results show, based on the combined indices estimated for each of the three general factors and expected changes in temperature and precipitation as projected by IPCC, that there is high climate risk vulnerability of the two crops in the municipalities particularly in areas where there is high potential exposure to hazards, low climate suitability of key crops in the future, and low adaptive capacity. Findings from the climate risk vulnerability analysis (CRVA) developed in the study demonstrate that it, as described in this paper, can serve as a meaningful reference to inform and guide decision-makers from concerned government agencies and the private sector in crafting policies and potential interventions in highly vulnerable areas whose climate risk vulnerability can be estimated and determined using CRVA. It is recommended that the CRVA described in this paper be made part of the tools and potential guides used by the Department of Agriculture to help mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.