Apayao, Ifugao, and Kalinga have been selected as beneficiaries of the international Green Climate Fund (GCF) program, Adapting Philippine Agriculture to Climate Change (APA), aimed at strengthening climate resilience in rural and agricultural areas of the Philippines.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), selected the three Cordillera provinces as part of the program, which covers five regions across the country.
Danilo Daguio, regional technical director for operations, announced that APA offices will be established across the selected regions, with project implementation set to begin in January 2025 and run through 2030.
The seven-year APA project is supported by a $26.3 million grant from the GCF, with an additional $12.9 million from the DA and PAGASA. This joint effort between national and international agencies aims to enhance climate resilience in Philippine agriculture.
The Philippines ranks fourth on the Long-Term Climate Risk Index (2000-2019) due to its vulnerability to frequent extreme weather events, such as tropical cyclones, droughts, floods, and irregular rainfall patterns.
An estimated 70 percent of the population is at risk from climate-related disasters, with rural and agricultural systems particularly affected by these hazards and their resulting impacts.
