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66 SCF Folio
season. In response,
farmers said that they
would plant crops that are
water-tolerant or use corn
varieties that thrive even
under wet conditions.
However, farmers in
Bukidnon rarely cultivate
rice because according to
them, the area is not
suitable for rice
production. Farmers stated
that even with a La Niña
forecast, they need to plant
crops or else they will have
nothing to spend for the
education of their children
and for their day-to-day
sustenance.
Implications
Despite the popularity of
SCFs among farmers in Malaybalay, the value of this
information is not maximized because farmers just
ignore them. According to them, they have several
experiences where forecasts did not materialize. There
is, therefore, a need to implement an intensive
educational campaign to explain to farmers about the
probabilistic nature of the SCF and to teach them on
how to make use of these forecasts wisely.
This study found that farmers apply indigenous
climate forecasting in their farming practices. For
example, to decide when to sow, they observe what
they call “planting by the moon,” that is, they sow during
full moon. According to them, a full moon ensures them
of a good harvest. While, according to farmers, there is
no scientific explanation for this practice that they know
of as yet, they have nonetheless observed that “planting
by the moon” has been bringing them good harvests
and profits. Considering this finding, it is suggested that
agencies mandated to provide climate advisory to
farmers should look for ways to integrate farmers’
indigenous forecasting system in their efforts to
encourage farmers to use seasonal climate forecasts.
Despite the popularity of SCF in Malaybalay, farmers often ignore these information because
according to them, the forecast did not come true. In this photo, farmers watch an SCF in
video during a decisionmaking workshop. They will plan their farming activities for the next
season based on the forecasts.
Judging from the outputs generated during the
decisionmaking workshops, farmers’ coping
mechanisms for extreme climate will enable them to
earn income that will sustain their respective families’
needs. The problem, however, is that in extremely
unfavorable cropping conditions, their only choice is to
work as menial laborers in factories, department stores,
and other industries in Malaybalay City. Since climate
change is inevitable, research and development
agencies are called on to start technology development
works that will help farmers mitigate the impacts of or
make farmers adapt to the climate change.
Finally, findings in this study showing that farmers
find it hard to appreciate and understand climate
forecasts suggest the need for academic institutions to
integrate climate reporting in their curricular programs.
To date, contents of communication programs usually
relegate this topic to the background. Hence, this is one
area that may be seriously considered to help in the
communication and understanding of seasonal climate
forecasts and their probabilistic nature. (SCF Project
Updates, December 2008)