Landcare in the Philippines

Abstract

I n the Philippines, whe re about 20 million people live in the uplands, sustainable and profitable farming is a major concern (Garrity 1993). The uplands are biologically complex and diverse, and have risk-prone e cosystems. With a national populati on of about 90 million, pressures in lowland a reas hav e led to moveme nt of people to the difficult environment of the uplands—a life of subsistence. Further population increase and land scarcity have resulted in the transformation in land use from subsistence shifting cultivation into permanent agriculture on fragile slope s, and have crea ted a new order of social, economic and environmental problems (Garrity 1993; Maglinao and Hashim 1993). The farming system in the Philippines is characterized by a large number of small- scale farmers, whose primary ob jective is production for famil y food supply. The system is predominantly based on the prod uction of upland rice ( Oryza sativa ) or maize ( Zea mays ). In some areas there is more focus on root crops, for example cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) or sweet potato ( Ipomea batatas ). Since most upland farmers have extremely limited access to capital, production is generally confined to subsistence levels