AMIA-10 strengthens farmers’ climate resilience through gender-responsive training

MAGSAYSAY, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Recognizing the importance of gender-responsive approaches in building climate-resilient farming communities, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) conducted a five-day Gender-Responsive Climate – Resilient Planning and Institutional Strengthening Training from May 25 to 29, here.

Through its Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA), in collaboration with Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the Accelerating Climate Resilience in Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment (ANRE) Subprogram 3 Technical Assistance (TA), the workshop gathered 40 farmers of Mindulao Farmers Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative (MINFARCCO).

It focused on sessions on strengthening governance, strategic planning, financial-life cycle management, and gender-inclusive leadership within farmer organizations and associations.

During the activity, Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (CRAO) Director Agnes Catherine T. Miranda underscored the importance of integrating gender perspectives into climate-resilient agriculture planning.

“These [climate-resilient agriculture] practices should be equitable for both women and men because gender is not solely about women. It is about ensuring that women and men work together to improve their lives, strengthen their organization, and build a more resilient farming community,” Miranda shared.

The training participants also shared how the AMIA Program has contributed to improving their livelihoods and strengthening their cooperative through climate-resilient farming practices and capacity-building initiatives.

“We are grateful to the AMIA Program for teaching us climate-resilient agriculture practices such as diversified farming. Because of what we have learned, our livelihood has improved, and our cooperative has become stronger. Through these trainings, we have also gained knowledge in financial management and leadership.

We hope to share these learnings with others and serve as a model of how these initiatives can help communities become more resilient and better prepared to face future challenges,” said Gary Halaran, a farmer-member of MINFARCCO.

The said activity forms part of DA-RFO 10’s continuing efforts to empower farming communities through climate-resilient and gender-responsive development initiatives.#