The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) implemented

22 projects with funding from 14 donors to support more than 230 405 farming and

fishing families and more than 800 community-based organizations in regions IV-B,

VI, VII and VIII in restoring their livelihoods and building resilience to future

disasters. Typhoon Haiyan (locally called Yolanda) swept through the Central Philippines on

8 November 2013. The storm affected 14.1 million people, devastated

600 000 hectares of farmland and caused over USD 700 million in damage to the

agriculture sector.

FAO Philippines appealed for USD 38 million within the Typhoon Haiyan Strategic

Response Plan to address the emergency and early recovery needs of affected

farming families. In response, donors provided over USD 39.7 million in funding for

interventions in the following areas:

rice and corn farming;

coconut-based farming systems;

fisheries and coastal communities; and

coastal/mangrove forest rehabilitation.

Building more resilient livelihoods was a key focus of FAO’s programme. In the

immediate aftermath of Haiyan, FAO complemented Government efforts to restore

the livelihoods of farmers in time for the imminent planting season, while enhancing

local and national capacity to avoid or limit the adverse effects of future hazards.

FAO’s Typhoon Haiyan programme was implemented from November 2013 to

December 2015.

TYPHOON HAIYAN EMERGENCY, RECOVERY AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

Completion Summary

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RICE AND CORN FARMING

RICE AND CORN FARMING: ENSURING STAPLE FOOD HARVESTS

The typhoon struck between two planting seasons – destroying ready-to-harvest, harvested and newly

planted rice. Without timely support, rice farmers would have been unable to plant and would have

continued to depend on external food aid for one full cropping cycle.

Since December 2013, FAO has helped more than 177 000 rice and corn farming households to restore their

livelihoods by providing quality agricultural inputs. The assistance enabled families to reap a good harvest

and rapidly restore household food security and income generation.

*Computed based on the national average annual rice consumption of 114kg per capita, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, 2012

Emergency phase

Distributed certified rice seeds and fertilizer to more than

44 500 farming households;

Distributed certified corn seeds and fertilizer to more

than 8 600 farming households;

Provided fertilizer to more than 36 255 households,

complementing input support from the Government;

Distributed 13 794 sets of hand tools, including shovels,

machetes and hoes, benefitting more than 68 970

farming households; and

Distributed 1 218 sets of irrigation pumps to

803 community-based organizations (CBO), LGUs and

government research centres.

Recovery and rehabilitation phase

Working in close collaboration with the Government, FAO

supported small-scale rice and corn farming communities to

strengthen their agricultural production and income generation.

Distributed rice and corn seeds, fertilizer, vegetable

seeds and post-harvest equipment (such as grain storage

and drying nets) to 18 617 households;

Cleared 2 500 hectares for planting rice and corn and

identified and established 32 hectares of Sloping

Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) sites;

Distributed seedlings and root crop planting materials to

21 CBOs for the development of SALT sites;

Trained 609 farmers on the development and

maintenance of SALT sites;

Distributed hand tools to 6 800 households;

Distributed livestock (such as carabao, cattle and goats),

farm equipment (such as hand tractor, shredder, rice

thresher, corn sheller, rice reaper and water pump), small

farm reservoirs, nursery protective structures and farm

implements (such as plow and harrow) to 111 CBOs;

Trained 230 farmers on organic compost production with

the use of shredder-chippers; and

Trained 3 645 farmers, through season-long Farmer Field

Schools (FFS), on improved and alternative agriculture

practices on crop diversification/farming systems, post-

harvest management, food processing, and improved

livestock production, including 38 local government units

technicians on climate-smart FFS.

Results:

Facilitated the production of over 87 291 metric

tonnes of milled rice – enough to feed more than

765 719 people for one year

Every farmer supported with seeds for one hectare

was able to produce two tonnes of rice, enough to

feed a family of five for a year, generate vital income

and save seed for future planting

Enabled each household to obtain an average yield

of 1 336 kg of rice per 0.84 hectare of land cultivated

with the distributed seeds and fertilizer, generating

an average income of USD 345 per household

Many of the beneficiary farmers were able to

produce much higher yields than pre-typhoon

estimates

Improved the resilience of farmers through

practical seed storage methods and climate-

adaptive farming technologies, and helped reduce

post-harvest losses through the provision of post-

harvest equipment and training

Facilitated the production of over 9 244 metric

tonnes of corn grits.

Gelma Mesias is a rice farmer from Barangay Pangpang

Sur, Mambusao, Capiz. The typhoon wiped out the

ready-to-harvest produce of their 1 hectare farm and

destroyed all houses in their community. She received

emergency support from FAO, including certified rice

seeds, fertilizer and hand tools.

“The seeds enabled us to plant for the harvest season

after Yolanda. Because of that, we’ve managed to make

the repairs on our home, pay for our children’s tuition

fees and not rely on relief goods anymore.”

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RICE AND CORN FARMING

*A limited number of households received more than one type of assistance as deemed necessary during the consultation and evaluation process

FISHERIES AND COASTAL COMMUNITIES

FISHERIES: BUILDING BACK BETTER

Nearly two-thirds of fishing families in affected coastal areas lost their productive assets to Typhoon Haiyan, with

an estimated 30 000 small-scale fishing boats lost, damaged or destroyed.

FAO’s recovery programme supported more than 17 800 fishing households. The interventions helped coastal

communities restore fishing capacity (without exceeding pre-typhoon levels) and rehabilitate productive assets

and small-scale infrastructure, while promoting boat safety and quality. FAO also provided technical guidance and

training on aquaculture production, post-harvest and value-adding economic activities and marine-protected areas

management.

FAO helped facilitate immediate livelihood

restoration of fishing communities through the

following activities:

Designed a new environmentally sustainable hybrid

fibreglass and wooden boat and trained 900 boat builders

and Government personnel on its construction, repair and

maintenance;

Designed and distributed 1 700 copies of hybrid boat

manuals and distributed boat engines and accessories to

1 700 beneficiaries, including 22 community-based

organizations (CBOs), fisheries colleges and local

government units involved in marine protection and

technology training;

Trained 11 963 fishers on improved methodologies,

including:

Safety and survival at sea protocols

Improved fish post-harvest handling and storage

Seaweed farming, milkfish culture, mudcrab and

bivalves production

Food safety, good manufacturing practices and

sanitation standard operating procedures, value adding

and improved post-harvest processing

Fish habitat assessment, Marine Protected Area

management, community-based and ecosystems

approach to fisheries management and fisheries law

enforcement

Distributed fishing gear kits to more than 3 328

households;

Distributed inputs for post-harvest, processing, vending or

value-adding activities to more than 7 200 beneficiaries;

Strengthened 20 women’s organizations through post-

harvest training and elaboration of post-harvest plans;

Provided seaweed input packages and aquaculture

productivity assets for mudcrab, milkfish and bivalves

production to 5 900 households; and

Established three seaweed nurseries.

Domingo Olediana from Culion Island is one of over

900 carpenters trained by FAO on the construction,

repair and maintenance of hybrid boats.

“I attended the training so I could help my barangay to

build boats without the need to cut down old trees to

make the keel, which destroys the environment. This

hybrid boat will last many more years than our

traditional wooden ones because it has a very strong

fibreglass kasco (keel) that will not rot or be eaten by

tamasok. From the training I received, I can now make

very good boats for our fishers.”

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FISHERIES AND COASTAL COMMUNITIES

Results:

Contributed to the sustainable development of

fisheries, aquaculture and mariculture activities in

the targeted areas.

Restored and enhanced the production capacity of

beneficiary fish farmers as well as seaweed and mud

crab growers through the distribution of inputs.

Contributed to increasing household income by

promoting improved post-harvest and processing

techniques, which helped reduce fish waste and

added value to beneficiaries’ products.

Facilitated the adoption of more environmentally

sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices.

Strengthened local government and community

capacity in the management of marine protected

areas, leading to increased production of fish and

other marine resources.

*A limited number of households received more than one type of assistance as deemed necessary during the consultation and evaluation process

COCONUT-BASED FARMING

SYSTEMS

COCONUT-BASED FARMING SYSTEMS:

SECURING ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS

An estimated 44 million trees were damaged or destroyed by the typhoon, affecting around 1 million

coconut farmers. The impact on livelihoods was devastating as coconut seedlings take an average of six to

eight years to become productive again.

FAO assisted around 35 500 small-scale coconut farmers to develop more resilient, diversified livelihoods as

part of its support to the Government in the rehabilitation of the coconut sector. This resulted in improved

food security and nutrition and helped develop longer-term economic stability in highly vulnerable

communities.

Lalane Perucho of Balete, Aklan Province, participated in FAO’s

training on Sloping Agricultural Land Technology and

subsequently received start-up farm inputs to apply what she

learned.

“Now we have the means. We will be able to innovate, plant

new crops and try new things like growing pineapple,

eggplant and ginger. More than a year ago, this seemed

impossible.”

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COCONUT-BASED FARMING

SYSTEMS

FAO helped coconut-based farming

communities recover through the

following activities:

Distributed 462 tonnes of rice and corn seeds,

466 800 units of fruit planting materials and

vegetable seed packs, 3 398 tonnes of fertilizer,

35 500 household farming kits, 36 934 grain

storage containers, 4 650 sets of hand tools and

262 farm machinery sets, 7 800 heads of livestock

and poultry, and 43 735 mangrove propagules

and various other planting materials, reaching at

least 35 500 coconut-farming households and

447 community-based organizations;

Conducted training activities that improved the

resilience and equipped more than

34 818 farmers with skills and knowledge on

climate-resilient coconut-based farming

systems

climate-smart farming technologies through

farmer field schools

livestock production and management

nursery operations and management

seed production and management

Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT)

mangrove rehabilitation and management

integrated pest management

community-based disaster risk reduction and

management, and agricultural vulnerability

and hazard mapping

entrepreneurship and asset building through

savings, basic leadership, business planning,

bookkeeping

community-based processing and value-

adding enterprises

Established nearly 100 SALT sites and 45 nursery

structures.

Results:

Enabled beneficiaries to restore their farm assets and

livelihoods and increase their household income

through the production of high-value crops and

compost;

Improved beneficiaries’ knowledge of innovative

farming practices and technologies, helping them

diversify their livelihood, improve farm productivity,

attain seed security and reduce risks from pests and

future natural disasters;

Contributed to the expansion of SALT sites and

provided opportunities to replicate climate-smart

farming technologies and contour farming in

smallholder lands;

Linked CBOs to Government services and programmes,

and provided common service facilities to CBOs;

Reduced production and post-harvest expenses for

farmers;

Ensured the availability of quality breeds of animals in

regions with severely depleted animal stocks.

*Some households received more than one type of assistance as deemed necessary during the consultation and evaluation process

Typhoon Haiyan damaged approximately

18 000 hectares of mangrove forest. Around

12 000 hectares of the damage occurred in Region

VIII, particularly in the provinces of Eastern Samar,

Western Samar and Leyte.

FAO worked closely with communities and local

organizations to rehabilitate coastal ecosystems and

livelihoods as a cross-cutting component of its

fisheries and coconut-based farming systems

interventions. Appropriate propagules, seeds,

seedlings and planting materials were distributed

and approaches for the successful recovery,

protection and natural regeneration of

coastal/mangrove forests were promoted.

FAO helped communities rehabilitate

coastal ecosystems through the following

activities:

Supported 36 marine protected areas by

providing logistical inputs and training more

than 1 900 participants from community-

based organizations and local government

units on the assessment and monitoring of

fish habitats and fishery law enforcement;

Planted 51 700 mangrove propagules and

wildlings in a total of 25 hectares of heavily

damaged mangrove forests and in four

mangrove nurseries established by

beneficiary CBOs;

Trained 290 beneficiaries, including CBO

members, on mangrove ecosystems and

management; and

Conducted participatory risk assessments and

mapping of 93 coconut farming and

mangrove communities.

A member of Barangay Agustin Navarra Environment Conservation

Association (BANECA) helps replenish sediments that will aid in the

regeneration of saplings spared by storm surges. Healthy growth of

mangrove stands requires a clean environment with unobstructed

flow of tidal inundation.

BEING ACCOUNTABLE IS A PRIORITY

Throughout the implementation of the Typhoon Haiyan Emergency,

Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme, FAO integrated

Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) principles into its

policies, programmes and partnerships. The five AAP commitments

address: leadership/governance; transparency and communication;

feedback and complaints; participation and representation; design,

monitoring and evaluation.

In consultation with affected populations, FAO tailored its activities to

the needs of communities, ensuring that support met actual

requirements. FAO‘s Frontline SMS also served as a two-way

communication channel and facilitated effective communication with

beneficiaries.

COASTAL/MANGROVE FOREST

REHABILITATION: RESTORING

A NATURAL BARRIER AGAINST

FUTURE STORMS

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COASTAL AND MANGROVE

REHABILITATION

COMMUNITIES

Recognizing that men and women experience and respond to crises differently, and assessing how gender impacts on people’s capacity for recovery

were inherently linked to FAO’s Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) approach and integral to the success of the Typhoon Haiyan Emergency,

Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme.

After the typhoon, women who were engaged in vending, post-harvest processing and trading of agricultural and fisheries products had become

particularly vulnerable due to the meagre supply of fresh produce, and extensive damage to post-harvest and market facilities. By providing them with

farm inputs, access to skills training and start-up materials for sustainable post-harvest and value-adding activities, FAO empowered them to resume and

improve their livelihoods and, in the process, become agents of recovery and resilience in their communities.

Throughout the programme, FAO supported 23 126 women, including at least 10 110 women in the coconut sector, 7 329 in the rice and corn sectors

and more than 5 687 in fisheries.

Women in the coconut sector

Livelihood diversification was vital to meeting immediate food and income needs in coconut-farming communities. FAO undertook the integration of

short- and medium-term crops and livestock and also tapped the potential of women to contribute to hastening the recovery of their families and

communities by introducing them to alternative agriculture-based livelihood options and value-adding technologies that can help them command better

prices for their products.

Marife Jalbay of Salcedo, Eastern Samar recalls how their group, the Majority Women Farmers Association, was selected to undertake value-addition

training through an assessment conducted by FAO. This encouraged them to expand their farm business by producing cassava chips. They are now

earning higher returns compared to when they were supplying their raw cassava to nearby markets, which sold for an average of USD 2.50 per barrel. For

that equivalent weight of cassava turned into chips, they can make about USD 69.60.

“Right now, we are the only ones making cassava chips here in Salcedo. We hope we can further improve the packaging and quality, and one day sell our

products in other barangays and even in supermarkets,” she said.

Women in fisheries

It was equally challenging for women in the fisheries sector to get back on track after Typhoon Haiyan. Prior to the disaster, many of them bartered their

dried fish products for rice during harvest season. This practice was common in areas where farm to market roads were inadequate. FAO provided them

with post-harvest kits and related training to enable them to consolidate production at household level and also engage with larger markets. The

programme also encouraged women organizations to explore other value-adding practices using more efficient drying technologies, reducing fish

wastage and thereby improving the income of their families.

“We learned how to dry fish and squid more efficiently by minimizing spoilage and proper cleaning. We also learned how much salt was necessary to

avoid spoilage and how to make new products like fish tocino (cured fish),” narrated Loida Lagan of Baronganan, Palawan. “Right now, we’re optimistic

that we can have better incomes. We’ve learned not to be too dependent on our spouses, that women can help, and we’ve become more confident in

doing that.”

Women gain access to markets

As a result of post-harvest and value-adding production training combined with workshops on entrepreneurship and business planning, community

based organizations assisted by FAO, including women’s groups, were able to successfully produce new or higher value products. They were also able to

gain a better understanding of potential markets through technical assistance on market testing in the barangay, municipal, provincial and regional

levels, and through their participation in various trade fairs.

Throughout the implementation of FAO’s Haiyan response, women served as partners in resilience-building as they played a significant role in the value

chain. This, in turn, is helping them improve the incomes of their families and ensure that they are better equipped to withstand economic shocks that may be caused by future natural disasters.

RESILIENT WOMEN

RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

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Government Partners Throughout the implementation of its Typhoon Haiyan Emergency,

Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme, FAO worked in close

collaboration with the departments of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform,

Environment and Natural Resources and affiliated agencies namely:

Philippine Coconut Authority, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic

Resources, Bureau of Animal Industry, Forest Management Bureau. FAO

also worked with local government units, the National Economic and

Development Authority and the National Commission on Indigenous

Peoples. Further to supporting food security and agriculture sector

responses, FAO also actively participated in the Office of the Presidential

Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery cluster on livelihoods led by

the Department of Trade and Industry, and also engaged in the social

services cluster led by the Department of Social Welfare and

Development.

WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT

AND RESOURCE PARTNERS

Donors FAO mobilized more than 100 percent of the funds appealed for under the

Typhoon Haiyan Strategic Response Plan through the support of 14 donor

agencies in addition to FAO internal funds.

FAO Representation in the Philippines

29th floor, Yuchengco Tower 1, RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila

Tel. +63 02 901 0363 | FAO-PH@fao.org

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