Assessments of the Hanunuo women's [in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines] upland farming system and implication to climate change adaptation

This paper aimed to analyze the sustainability of the upland farming system of the Hanunuo Mangyan women in Occidental Mindoro [Philippines] and find out its bearing on the present condition of the environment. This further intended to either enrich or debunk the theory within the mainstream society that the Mangyans have been a party to the unabated destruction of the forest resources due to their economic activities. This also determined the Hanunuo women's socio-economic and psychological characteristics, farming practices, and perceptions regarding natural resource management. The women are young with basic education and are actively involved in community organizations. They are small landholders with swidden farming and charcoal making as the major sources of living. The Mangyans aspire for a better life. They believe these are possible through hardwork, patience, perseverance, and faith in their capability, and strong government support. Their greatest fear is getting sick and having a fatal accident. The women's problems are low productivity and income, proliferation of vices in the community, and deliberate deterioration of their children's values. The ecological problems experienced include land deterioration and erosion, emergence of crop pests and diseases, natural calamities, and climate change. Some of the women's farming practices are not environment-friendly. The lack of viable economic options forced them to abandon other traditional ecological practices. Similarly, modern agriculture not appropriate to their upland conditions has slowly penetrated their farming system. The women are aware that some of their economic undertakings are detrimental to the environment. But the thought of environmental degradation is not a concrete motivation for them to stop engaging in those activities because of their greater cash need for food and children's education. The upland farming system is traditional and subsistence agriculture. The women are in the quandary being deliberate wayward stewards of the environment as they are confronted with intertwined social, cultural, economic, environmental, and political problems and issues.