Profile and Coping Strategies of Rice Farmers in Flood Prone Areas in Sigma, Capiz, Philippines

Abstract

Due to global climate change, typhoons and floods are common disasters that damage the rice farms. This is true especially in the flood-prone area in Sigma, Capiz, Philippines. However, even how intense the damage is, farmers have no choice but to face it. Hence this study finds out the profile and coping strategies of rice farmers in flood-prone areas in the municipality of Sigma. The respondents of the study were the 55 farmers whose rice farms are situated in areas which are frequently flooded. The instrument used to gather the needed data was a questionnaire consisting of items purposely to gather the socio–economic profile of the respondents such as age, highest educational attainment, number of years in farming and tenure status; and questions that elicit information on the coping strategies of the respondents in terms of sustaining their living, finding seeds, and planting financial operations. The statistical tools used were frequency count, percentage and ranking. Findings reveal that majority of the farmers are between 42-52 years old, have not finished a degree and have been farming for 26-37 years. Moreover, nearly half of the respondents are owners of the rice farm they farmed; when their rice plantation are damaged due to flood, their first option to sustain their living is planting and growing vegetables, finding other jobs, and fishing. Furthermore, farmers have been conditioned that flood may come unexpectedly and will damage their rice farm. Due to this, they become accustomed to set aside seeds. Finally, farmers force their selves to borrow money from private persons with agreed interests and conditions. Some of them apply loans to lending institutions and few asked for assistance from local government.