Eleventh International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses

Abstract

The pressing issue of climate change poses a serious threat to agriculture specifically to rice production and its impacts could be devastating since rice is a staple food and serves as a subsistence agriculture in Ifugao, Philippines. However, little is known on the impacts of climate change at the rice terraces; hence, vulnerability assessment to climate change impacts of the Batad Rice Terraces, a UNESCO Inscribed World Heritage Site and one of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems in the Philippines, was conducted. Reviewed, adopted, and modified indices were used as deemed fit to the area to assess the vulnerability as a function of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The data were gathered through literature review, actual measurements, key informant interview, and household interview in 2017. Results revealed that sensitivity indicators contribute to the vulnerability of the rice terraces to climate change impacts. Overall, socially and culturally appropriate adaptation strategies should be critical considerations to decrease the vulnerability of the system.