Factsheet:

Environment and Rural Development (EnRD) Program Philippines

Component 5: Enhancement of Food Security (EFOS)

The EFOS component of the EnRD Program aims to improve the income of poor population groups through cash-for-work and productivity enhancing measures in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Context
Agriculture is considered one of the most important sectors of the Philippine economy as it contributes 20% to the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs almost 1/3 of the countrys total labor force. Yet, agricultural production and productivity have been insufficient to provide for the countrys food demand in the previous years. Reasons for this rising problem on food security are degradation of natural resources, rapid population growth and natural disasters aggravated by climate change. A further backlash were the volatile food market prices and the subsequent food price crisis in 2008. The slump in the agricultural sector can directly be understood as reduced income for the already vulnerable farmer and fisher folk households. Leyte Island is no stranger to this case as it remains an island where most households rely on agriculture (including forestry and fisheries) and where the poverty incidence is higher than the national average.

Approach
In response to the negative social implications of the food price crisis, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Regional Office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) aim to increase household income of the rural poor in Leyte Island with the funding of Euro 2.6 M from the European Union. GIZ and DA apply a four-fold approach: (1) Prioritizes food security in land use planning at the local level; (2) provide short-term relief for poor farm and fisher folk households through cash-forwork schemes; (3) promote medium to long-term productivity enhancing and income-securing measures; and (4) promote index and conventional crop insurance products and develop an areabased yield index insurance, initially to cover rice. The cash-for-work scheme, a labor intensive method, aims to provide immediate additional income to low income households while at the same time establishing and rehabilitating important rural infrastructure for agriculture, forestry and fisheries. It aims to bridge the gap between harvests when cash is limited for households sustenance. Two major development priorities are addressed through this scheme: rehabilitation of small-scale irrigation systems; and establishment and rehabilitation of social infrastructures and environment related activities such as mangrove planting, Marine Protected Area enhancement, watershed rehabilitation, establishment of organic waste composting facilities and clearing of drainage / waterways. An increase in agricultural, fisheries as well as forestry productivity and production are key to augment the income of poor households while securing at the same time food availability and quality. The provision of necessary equipment and introduction of new technologies open opportunities to earn a higher income. Productivity enhancing technologies, such as the use of certified and hybrid seeds, organic and appropriate fertilizers, climate-proof vegetable production
Partners Department of Agriculture (DA)Region 8, selected Local Government Units (LGUs) Target Groups Low income agricultural and fisherfolk households Location Leyte Island Duration January 2010 - February 28, 2012 Donor European Commission Food Facility, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

This project is funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

This project is implemented by the Department of Agriculture and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

This material has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of GIZ and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

structures and breeds of high-yielding freshwater fish were promoted. To cushion income losses after natural disasters, a parametric crop insurance scheme was developed and promoted. Area Based Yield Index (ARBY), a crop insurance, covers the reduction of the insured yield for irrigated rice caused by all risks, including weather-related hazards. Since natural catastrophes affect all farms of the same area, in a uniform manner, the compensation is paid on the basis of average rice yield per hectare in a National Irrigation System, regardless of the actual damage incurred by each farm. This fast-tracks the payment since individual damage assessments are needed.

Contact

Results
Food security addressed through improved land use planning n 16 municipalities in Leyte and Southern Leyte incorporated food security concerns into the updating of their Comprehensive Land Use Plans three are approved, six municipalities and one city have finalized their draft plans. Likewise, at the provincial levels, food security issues are addressed in their respective Provincial Physical Framework Plan. Improved cash income and rural infrastructure n 12,000 households participated in cash-for-work measures in 2011. They received PhP35 million in wages and rehabilitated or constructed the following physical assets: farm-to-market roads (62 km), upland foot trails (40 km), communal irrigation canals (11.4 km) supporting ricelands (933 ha), mangrove areas (124 ha), urban waterways (7.7 km), seawalls (650 meters) and watershed areas (264 ha). The total beneficiaries of these are 47,000+ households. For example, with the rehabilitated communal irrigation systems, total production increased by up to 250% with now two or three croppings instead of just one. Increased agricultural productivity and production n 31,000 households increased their productivity, resulting to: a 23% increase in rice yields per hectare per cropping season; 48 units of protective structures for year-round (or climate-proof ) communal vegetable production established in seven LGUs which resulted to a contract with a 3-star hotel for the supply of high value vegetables; construction of organic waste facilities in two LGUs and the construction of a provincial and a municipal fish hatcheries producing and distributing an average of 5 million fingerlings annually. Contracted crop insurance schemes for income loss n 7,534 in 28 municipalities benefited from crop insurance schemes: 129 households enrolled in ARBY and 39 affected households received fast payout; 5,042 households enrolled in conventional crop insurance schemes with government subsidy (3,203 were beneficiaries of rice production enhancement interventions; 7,354 farmers trained in micro-insurance and financial literacy
GIZ is a federally-owned enterprise that supports the German government in the field of international development cooperation. For more than 30 years now, GIZ has been cooperating with Philippine partners in strengthening the capacity of people and institutions to improve the lives of Filipinos in this generation and generations to come. Together we work to balance economic, social and ecological interests through multi-stakeholder dialogue, participation and collaboration.

Dr. Walter Salzer Program Director and Principal Advisor

Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH 2B PDCP Bank Center V.A. Rufino corner L.P. Leviste Sts. Salcedo Village, Makati City Philippines Phone +63 2 892 9051 local 101 Fax +62 2 892 3374 Email walter.salzer@giz.de

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