: Coping with El Niño - A corn farmer’s story in ,

After one year of prevailing El Niño conditions in the Drought Outlook Production losses, Sarangani province WARM Philippines, drought is taking its In Mindanao, out of the provinces 23 28 160 PhP WET toll on agriculture and has DRY Drought are currently experiencing drought. (3.4 USD) affected tens of thousands of Dry spell farmers especially in Mindanao. Sarangani province, where 5 of its 7 66 PhP Dry condition municipalities are greatly affected, About 40% of the country, or a total of (1.4 USD) Not affected 32 provinces, is likely to experience drought until declared a state of calamity on March 2016 due to El Niño the end of April 2016, according to the authorities. 26 PhP drought. (0.55 USD) 23 Luzon Number of Mindanao Glan 23 PhP provinces affected (0.49 USD) by drought Production loss by affected 5 PhP Municipalities in Sarangani Sarangani (in millions) 6 (0.10 USD) 3

Luzon Visayas Mindanao Malungon Malungon 46 PhP (.98 USD) Visayas Despite the assistance provided by the Sarangani Alabel 23 PhP (.49 USD) government and aid organisations so far, some Alabel province farmers are resorting to various coping strategies Malapatan 16 PhP (.34 USD) to sustain their living. With the uncertainty of when Malapatan Kiamba the weather and climate will improve, and a strong Maasim Glan 6 PhP (.13 USD) La Niña episode associated with flooding and Mindanao landslides predicted to follow, farmers will Glan Maasim 3 PhP (.06 USD) continue to seek their own alternative solutions to Total production loss for Sarangani feeding their family. province has been estimated around PhP 281M (USD 5.98M) Sarangani Corn production loss (in millions)

Livelihood and Food Security

Distribution of total damaged farm areas in Alabel, Sarangani Fertilizer ? Farm input investment Corn seeds

53% 47% 30K Annual rent Corn Other for 1.8 Ha. Chemical USD Fields crops 678 spray

EXPECTED ACTUAL Jennie, a corn farmer from Alabel and mother of three Output = 148 bags 20 bags Jennie’s eldest son, who had to drop children, still took the risk of planting corn on a 1.8 hectares out of school, now drives a of rented farm land. motorcycle (“habal-habal”) providing local public transport Her eldest son was forced to quit school to help the family seek out other In March and April 2016, school means to meet day-to-day expenses recognition and graduation ceremonies PhP 10,280 in the vicinity were also opportunities Proceeds = PhP 80,000 (1,702 USD) (219 USD) for them to do some photography to supplement their income She also fears a scarcity of potable water as they depend only on hand-pump The family is consuming bananas as an alternative tube well. Spending on water will add to their burden if it dries out. = 20 bags = Php10,000 (213 USD) to their staple food of rice The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations Creation date: 28 April 2016 Data Sources: PAGASA, OPA-Sarangani Map Sources: GSDI Feedback: [email protected]; [email protected] www.unocha.org www.reliefweb.int philippines.humanitarianresponse.info