3.

1 Observed problems

Farmers in Isabela, a province in the Philippines, have long suffered

from natural disasters such as flooding and drought, and climate
change has made farming even more difficult. In the 1990s and 2000s,
droughts lasted longer, typhoons became more frequent, and the timing
of seasons varied unexpectedly, making it difficult for farmers to
predict rainfall. Most farmers in the region depended solely on
rainfall to cultivate crops, which meant they could harvest only once
a year. As a consequence, farms had low productivity, and many
farmers struggled to get by.

Climate change, population growth, declining land area, high cost of

inputs, poor drainage, and inadequate irrigation are the major
constraints to agricultural production in the Philippines.

With the onset of prolonged drought brought by the El Nino

phenomenon, irrigation also becomes more important for cultivating
crops, especially rice. Climate change and crops’ vulnerability to
drought and heavy rainfall, especially during the typhoon season,
severely affect production.