One year after Typhoon Haiyan, farmers and fishers in the central Philippines are well on the way to building their resilience to future disasters.

An article in Sun Star reports on efforts by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations together with the government of the Philippines to assist communities to rebuild their rice and corn farms, establish coconut-based farming systems and rehabilitate mangrove forests to restore fish production.

When Typhoon Haiyan hit, it decimated crops, orchards, fishing boats and equipment, destroying the livelihoods of rural and coastal families and threatening the nation’s food security.

Through implementing more sustainable practices and providing assistance to small-scale traders and fish processors to add value to their production, the hope is that future typhoons will have a smaller impact and farmers can recover quicker. Farmers are being trained on seed production management, entrepreneurship and climate-resilient agricultural practices.

Farmers are being supported to diversity through agroforestry and growing vegetables, root and fruit crops and livestock, while waiting for newly planted coconut trees to be ready for harvest.

Read the full story: Filipino farmers bounce back, build resilient livelihoods