Kankanaey and Ibaloi Communities and Local Government Partnership for Local Level Farming Adaptation Priorities for Resiliency and Food Security

Abstract

The basic and direct services of the local government units (LGU) mandated by law assure indigenous farmers of a partner on agriculture improvement. In Pangasinan, the Mapita indigenous cultural community (ICC) composed of Kankanaey and Ibaloi people are residing in the mountainous part of Municipality of Aguilar with drought and limited water supply as their problems. With the request of the ICC farmers from LGU Aguilar, a partnership was formed. Data in this study were gathered from November 2018 to January 2019 through focus group discussion with ten ICC farmers who are members of the Mapita Tribal Council and an interview with Municipal Agricultural Officer of Aguilar. There were series of substantial training conducted by the LGU from 2014 to 2016, spearheaded by the Municipal Agricultural Office and in cooperation with a savings bank, related to pest control and management and production of high-valued crops like tomatoes and bell pepper. These high-valued crops were directly supplied to an institutional market. But their transaction with this institutional market is short-lived. The concerns of the Mapita ICC farmers are stories fabricated by farmers in other provinces on their former institutional market and agriculture in nature just like pest infestation and limited water supply. Social problems are along with disunity among tribe members and the decreasing number of young farmers. As to recommendations, the LGU should spearhead needed training on farming methodologies, provision of farm equipment, and monitoring of Mapita production. For the Mapita ICC, they should build a stronger and more united community and encourage their youth to engage in crop production