Philippines

Project overview

Agriculture plays a central role in the Philippines’ economy and food security, with rice as a staple crop and key livelihood for rural populations. However, the sector faces increasing pressure from climate change, land conversion, biodiversity loss and declining soil health. These challenges contribute to reduced productivity, rising food insecurity and increasing vulnerability of farming communities.

The project aims to transform food systems in the Philippines by promoting sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient rice-based production. It addresses biodiversity loss and land degradation in key rice-producing regions, particularly Central Luzon and Western Visayas, where unsustainable practices such as continuous monocropping and excessive use of agricultural inputs are degrading ecosystems and affecting livelihoods, especially for smallholders, women, youth and Indigenous Peoples.

The project supports a transition towards sustainable and climate-resilient food systems by promoting sustainable land management, agro-biodiversity-friendly practices and integrated landscape approaches. It contributes to restoring degraded ecosystems, improving productivity and strengthening livelihoods, while generating global environmental benefits including reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved ecosystem health.

Our approach

The project adopts a systems-based approach to transform rice-based food systems by strengthening governance, finance, production practices and knowledge systems. It enhances the enabling environment through improved policy frameworks, cross-sector coordination and institutional capacity for sustainable and climate-resilient landscape management.

It strengthens capacities and investment by improving access to financial and technical services, supporting commodity-based systems and strengthening farmer–market linkages, with attention to gender-responsive approaches and inclusive participation.

At the landscape level, the project promotes sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, including diversified cropping systems, agro-biodiversity conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems across lowland and upland rice-based systems.

Knowledge generation, monitoring, and learning are central components, ensuring that lessons, best practices, and innovations are documented, shared, and scaled up to strengthen resilience and support the long-term transformation of agricultural landscapes.

Sites

The project focuses on two priority landscapes:

• Central Luzon (Region III)
• Western Visayas (Region VI)