Rice Terrace Degradation in Ifugao: Causation and Cultural Preservation Through Community-Based Solutions
Submission Type
Event
Faculty Advisor
Rebecca Mafazy
Expected Graduation Date
2019
Location
Room E101, Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Start Date
4-13-2019 10:00 AM
End Date
4-13-2019 11:00 AM
Disciplines
Education
Abstract
The Cordilleran rice terraces of Northern Luzon, Philippines, are a testament to Filipino ingenuity and remain an important social-ecological system within highland indigenous communities. Ifugao, one of six Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) provinces, is best known for its expansive and World Heritage Site recognized rice terraces, and has been a popular tourist destination in the Philippines for the past twenty years. According to local rice farmers, though, the terraces in Ifugao are quickly becoming degraded, as a series of external and internal factors have placed pressure on the indigenous community. Drawing from anthropological, ecological, and historical sources, I examine the agendas of different rice terrace stakeholders and their solutions to end terrace degradation. I analyze the effects of rural out-migration, eco-tourism, and climate change to pinpoint the root cause of terrace degradation, heavily relying on the insider perspectives of indigenous Ifugao farmers. Ultimately, I create an academic space where the most important rice terrace stakeholders, the farmers, are able to express their anxieties concerning terrace degradation and propose community-based solutions.
Rice Terrace Degradation in Ifugao: Causation and Cultural Preservation Through Community-Based Solutions
Room E101, Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
The Cordilleran rice terraces of Northern Luzon, Philippines, are a testament to Filipino ingenuity and remain an important social-ecological system within highland indigenous communities. Ifugao, one of six Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) provinces, is best known for its expansive and World Heritage Site recognized rice terraces, and has been a popular tourist destination in the Philippines for the past twenty years. According to local rice farmers, though, the terraces in Ifugao are quickly becoming degraded, as a series of external and internal factors have placed pressure on the indigenous community. Drawing from anthropological, ecological, and historical sources, I examine the agendas of different rice terrace stakeholders and their solutions to end terrace degradation. I analyze the effects of rural out-migration, eco-tourism, and climate change to pinpoint the root cause of terrace degradation, heavily relying on the insider perspectives of indigenous Ifugao farmers. Ultimately, I create an academic space where the most important rice terrace stakeholders, the farmers, are able to express their anxieties concerning terrace degradation and propose community-based solutions.