Recognizing Indigenous Knowledge: Lessons from Mindanao’s Communities

Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems have sustained communities for generations—producing abundant, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food using ecologically balanced methods. Today, these systems continue to feed millions and offer game-changing potential for the transformation of global food systems.

One month ago, 9 August, countries around the world marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Recent evaluation findings from the  Evaluation of the project Support to Agriculture and Agribusiness Enterprises in Mindanao for Sustainable Development offer insights into how development efforts can move beyond participation toward genuine collaboration and co-creation.

Implemented across Mindanao, an area of the Philippines known for its rich cultural heritage and vast natural resources, the project aimed to contribute to sustainable peace, development and inclusive growth by improving agriculture- and fisheries-based livelihoods and accelerating agriculture-based enterprises.

1. Laying the Foundations for Inclusion

Among its objectives, the project sought to improve the productivity smallholder farmers, marginal fisherfolk and Indigenous Peoples, who constitute a significant portion of the population in Central Mindanao, and to integrate these populations into agriculture value chains.  

The evaluation found that the project successfully combined Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems with modern agricultural practices. This impacted cultural appropriateness and the acceptance of technological solutions, but it was not sufficiently clear whether this strategy was applied across all sites. While notable progress was made in building local capacities and strengthening agricultural value chains, the project's impact on nutrition was less defined. The project's integration with local and national policies supported Sustainable Development Goals, but continuous efforts are required to integrate community plans with investment priorities for long-term sustainability.

2. Integrating Tradition with Innovation Yields Results

The evaluation recognized that the ability to balance technical agricultural improvements with understanding community-specific needs and conditions was key to success.

A good example is the Teduray people’s sulagad farming system. More than a set of techniques, sulagad is a holistic land management practice that reflects values, spiritual beliefs, and ecological understanding. It involves careful land preparation, crop selection based on local agroecological conditions, the use of natural methods for fertilization and pest control as well as harvest rituals that express gratitude to nature and ancestors.

Despite some misfits, the project tried to understand community needs and adapted its offer to ensure that the interventions were appropriate and effective. For example, the project allowed the demonstration farm to be family-based. Farmers were also allowed to select the crops they wanted to plant based on their knowledge of suitable crops and the prevailing climate and soil conditions.

These design choices led to high adoption rates and acceptance within the communities.

3. Community-Based Organizations Anchor Local Engagement

Where community-based organizations (CBOs) were Indigenous-led and involved in planning, outcomes were more sustainable.

In Indigenous-majority areas such as Upi and South Upi, CBOs served as critical platforms for engaging communities in agricultural and enterprise development activities.

The project enhanced community engagement and governance structures in several CBOs:

In San Isidro, CBO earnings were used to fund a farmer’s hub, improving market access and requiring enhanced governance practices to manage the assets effectively. This fostered greater transparency and collective management of resources, contributing to more open and inclusive community discussions.

In Kilagasan, investment in a new power tiller from its earnings illustrates a well-considered approach to reinvesting in community assets to ensure long-term sustainability.

In Dagupan and Marbel, CBOs were facilitated in the development of financial management capabilities, by setting up and managing revolving funds and credit facilities. These financial instruments boosted liquidity and provided CBO members with critical financial support without the burdensome conditions that are typically imposed by traditional lending institutions.

Despite these gains, the evaluation noted that many CBOs would benefit from long-term support and capacity strengthening.

 5. Addressing Land and Resource Accessibility is a Precondition

Indigenous Peoples often face marginalization and discrimination exacerbated by land disputes and the lack of recognition of their ancestral domain rights. True inclusion requires addressing the land rights, access to resources and self-determination.

The evaluation found that ensuring that women and marginalized groups have equitable access to resources is crucial for the success of inclusivity efforts. This could involve reviewing resource distribution mechanisms to ensure transparency and fairness through community-based monitoring and social accountability systems that include women and Indigenous Peoples. The broader development practice in the Philippines suggests that projects implementing participatory feedback mechanisms achieve better inclusivity outcomes. Such feedback mechanisms where participants can express concerns or suggest improvements could adapt the project to better meet their needs. Training local leaders on the importance of inclusive practices and creating accountability structures can also ensure that resources are allocated equitably.