Energy Crisis and Climate Shocks Compound Struggles for Philippine Farmers and Fishers
The ongoing energy crisis is intensifying pressures on Philippine agrifood systems, compounding the challenges faced by farming and fishing communities still recovering from recent climate-related disasters. In regions like Catanduanes, households are grappling with the dual burden of rebuilding livelihoods and managing soaring input costs.
Recovery Efforts Amidst Ongoing Challenges
Five months after Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-Wong) devastated Catanduanes, many fishing and farming villages continue to rebuild. Freddie Padayao, a fisher from San Rafael Fisherfolk of Mayngaway in San Andres, saw his boat damaged by flying debris during the storm. He is among at least 150 fishers who received material support for boat repair through Project SAVE, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with backing from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
"FAO provided us with marine plywood boards, epoxy, rust-proof copper nails, and nylon cord. With our boats repaired, we could return to sea much sooner," Freddie shared. Beyond boat repair kits, over 4,000 farmers and fishers have accessed cash assistance via cash-for-work and cash-for-livelihood programs, aiding in income restoration and capacity rebuilding.
New Pressures from Rising Costs
However, recovery is only part of the struggle. Sustaining livelihoods has become increasingly difficult due to rising fertilizer prices, fuel supply uncertainties, and higher fuel costs impacting the entire food value chain, including irrigation and transport. Agustin Villaranda, a 67-year-old farmer from the Antipolo Farmers Association in Bagamanoc, benefited from Project SAVE's cash-for-work intervention to resume rice farming. "The assistance helped senior citizens like me recover faster. Remember, it took three months to produce rice for everyone," he noted.
In Cagayan Province, Rona Pagdilao, OIC Municipal Agriculturist of Sta. Praxedes, highlighted how higher fuel costs are affecting this harvest season. "Smallholder farmers opt for manual harvests to save on fuel. Some form groups to share a single thresher after manual harvesting," she explained. Fishers are also adapting by reducing daily trips from four to two to cut fuel expenses.
Climate Conditions Add Further Strain
These economic pressures coincide with adverse climate conditions straining agricultural production. Isabela recently declared a province-wide state of calamity due to a prolonged dry spell that reduced water availability, damaged crops, and heightened yield loss risks. DOST-PAGASA warns that warm, dry conditions may persist through April 2026, with El Niño potentially developing from mid-2026, increasing the likelihood of below-normal rainfall and drought in parts of the country.
Higher fuel prices could escalate the cost of coping with climate stress, making interventions like irrigation pumping and water hauling more expensive. This may delay planting, reduce productivity, and trigger cascading livelihood losses.
Risky Coping Strategies and Long-Term Consequences
As pressures mount, some households resort to short-term coping strategies with harmful long-term effects. Rising fuel prices may push families to shift to cheaper energy sources like fuelwood, crop residues, or charcoal for cooking and farm operations, as observed in some Cagayan communities replacing LPG with fuelwood. In fisheries, higher costs may lead small-scale fishers to shorten trips and concentrate near-shore, risking localized overfishing.
Over time, such strategies can weaken agrifood livelihood resilience, deplete shared assets, and increase vulnerability to future shocks. "A single storm can trigger a financial emergency. Farmers and fishers often borrow money for basic needs, trapping them in debt cycles. Rising fuel and fertilizer costs compound this," explained Ruth Honculada-Georget, Community Resilience and Emergency Response Adviser of FAO Philippines.
Ongoing Support and Future Outlook
Amid the crisis, Project SAVE continues to assist over 4,500 farmers and fishers, cushioning the compounded effects of overlapping shocks. Additionally, the Australian Government-supported Rebuild Cagayan Project distributed PHP 17,000 each in livelihood assistance to farmers and fishers impacted by consecutive typhoons, partly used to purchase fuel for boats and machinery, mitigating rising fuel costs.
"Today's energy crisis is not a standalone shock. It collides with climate stress, exposing structural weaknesses in agrifood systems. Resilience and modernization must be integrated agendas to build efficient, sustainable systems," said FAO Representative in the Philippines Lionel Dabbadie. FAO's 2026 Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal aims to raise USD 2.5 billion globally, with approximately USD 11.8 million sought for the Philippines to strengthen agriculture in emergencies.
