By Marcelo B. Lihgawon

LAGAWE, Ifugao (PIA) — Heirloom rice farming in Ifugao gets a boost, with the province among the beneficiaries of the Adapting Philippine Agriculture to Climate Change (APA) project.

Members of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Ad Hoc Mission recently held a dialogue with representatives of the Hungduan Micro Finance Development Cooperative, Hungduan Heirloom Rice Producers, and Hapao Indigenous Peoples Multipurpose Cooperative, whose areas are within Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems.

The APA  project will focus on producing heirloom rice, promoting organic agriculture and preserving traditional and indigenous farming practices that have long sustained local communities.

It seeks to safeguard agricultural heritage while equipping farmers with modern tools and knowledge to adapt to a changing climate.

During the dialogue, cooperative members shared their indigenous farming methods and discussed how they managed the effects of climate change and other agricultural challenges affecting productivity of heirloom rice. The GCF team also raised several questions, which the representatives responded to. 

As part of the project, beneficiaries will undergo a series of training sessions on the use of the Climate Information Services (CIS) platform. This aims to strengthen farmers’ resilience and enhance their adaptive capacity to climate change in their respective communities.

The APA project will be implemented in nine provinces across five regions identified as climate change hotspots based on projections.

In the Cordillera Administrative Region,  aside from Ifugao, other areas covered are the provinces of  Apayao and Kalinga.  (JDP/MBL-PIA CAR, Ifugao)

Published Date: March 2, 2026