Vulnerability and Adaptation to Floods of Selected Rice Farms in Camarines Norte: Enhancing Resilience for Business Continuity

Date

12-2015

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Agnes T. Banzon

Request Access

For non-UP researchers, requests for access to this material may be directed to the CEM Library at cemlibrary.uplb@up.edu.ph or to the UKDR administrator at uscs-mainlib.uplb@up.edu.ph

Abstract

This research examined the relationship of vulnerability and adaptation to floods of selected rice farms in Camarines Norte to business continuity. Its specific objectives were: 1) present the profile of the rice farmers and their farms; 2) assess the current vulnerability of the rice farmers and their farms to floods; 3) assess the impacts of flood to the farmers’ houses and farms’ income; 4) identify the farmers’ adaptation strategies to floods; 5) identify the business continuity decisions of the farmers after a flood; 6) identify the issues and/or challenges in the adoption of adaptation strategies; and 7) formulate recommendations to address these issues and challenges.

Primary data were obtained from the 100 rice farmer-respondents in Camarines Norte

using two-stage stratified random sampling. The first stage included the top five rice- producing municipalities while in the second stage, the sample farms were selected

generally from the top 3 barangays classified as highly as well as moderately susceptible. The data on the high and moderate susceptibility levels to floods and flood hazard maps were derived from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of each municipality and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO). Frequency counts, percentages, weighted mean ratings, cross tabulations and ρ-values were the methods used in data analysis. The study also developed a Farm Vulnerability to Floods Index (FVFI) aggregately each for all of the highly susceptible barangays and moderately susceptible barangays to floods and an overall index which aggregated data from both areas to assess the current vulnerability of the rice farmers and their farms to floods. The indicators used were the following: duration and frequency of flood (for the exposure component); awareness of risks, preparedness to risks/perception about preparedness and access to early warning (sensitivity component); access to crop insurance, household income, leased capital, attendance in training in disaster preparedness and membership in community organizations (adaptive capacity).

Based on the computed FVFIs, the farmers and their farms had overall moderate vulnerability to floods. It was also found that there was no significant statistical difference among the computed indices of the highly and moderately susceptible barangays, except for awareness of risks which was significant at 10% level of significance. Further, it was also observed that floods also brought about changes in fertilizer application, cropping calendars and soil condition of the farms. The average yield per hectare and average net income per hectare were also computed to be both higher during the dry season than during the wet season.

As for their adaptation strategies, most of the farms were found not to employ strategies before and during a flood because for them, floods are unavoidable. However, for those who employed adaptation strategies, the most commonly adopted strategy was structural mitigation. A common problem among the respondents before, during and after floods was damage due to the high incidence of insect pests. However, there was not much difference between the highly and moderately susceptible farms in terms of the frequency of citation of the problems as well as the frequency of adaptation of strategies being implemented. The biggest issue and challenge faced by the farmers was their heavy reliance on the field workers of their municipal agricultural office for climate- and climate adaptation strategy- information.

There were only a few farmers with a business continuity plan (BCP). However, some of the business continuity strategies of those with BCP were in fact mitigation measures. The farmers without any BCP were found to be relatively interested (3.56) to formulating a BCP. Responses typically included the expression “Syempre” which means that they were indeed interested. In terms of the relationship of adaptation and business continuity, this study found that not all farmers who implemented adaptation strategies before, during and after flood had sufficient income to continue operating. However, there were a bigger proportion of farmers who did not adapt and had no enough income to continue. Thus, adaptation was still considered crucial in the business continuity of the farms.

To address the issues and problems and enhance the resilience of the farms to floods, the following recommendations were made. For the farmers, they should adjust or alter their cropping calendar; utilize climate change-resilient varieties; and expand their social networks by joining various organizations and attending seminars related to climate change. For the policy-makers, they should allocate funds for business continuity; conduct workshops on BCP formulation and intensify their efforts related to organizing crop insurance and climate change awareness campaigns.

For future researchers, they can attempt to have a more complete evaluation of an area’s susceptibility to floods by including the effects of soil properties like soil pH, moisture, type and structure. Lastly, a study on the resilience of the supply chain to natural disasters can also be carried out to assess the resiliency of the individual links in the supply chain and to analyze the implications of the climate risks in one link to the other links in the supply chain.

Language

English

LC Subject

Flood control, Natural disasters--Philippines, Rice farming

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2015 M17 I23

Notes

Viewing access to electronic resources is restricted solely to UP Gmail accounts. Any access and share requests from external organizations and personal email accounts will be promptly declined.

Document Type

Thesis

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS