This project is composed of three studies:

 

The study sites within Padsan River Basin (PRB) compose of 1 city (Laoag) and six municipalities (Nueva Era, Banna, Marcos, Dingras, Sarrat, Solsona).

 

The study sites will be purposively selected from the rice farming communities within the PRB. The initial selection criteria will be: i) vulnerability to climate risks (based on the maps and data to be provided by the LGUs; ii) households rely primarily on rice-based farming as livelihood.

 

Location of study sites will be clustered into three ecological zones namely: upstream: Nueva Era, Banna; midstream: Marcos, Dingras, Sarrat and Solsona; and downstream: western barangays of Laoag City. In Phase 2, only the farmer members of three zanjeras from the midstream clusters will serve as respondents.

 

Both secondary and primary data will be collected in order to address the objectives of this study. Secondary sources will include published and unpublished research papers and relevant reports of various agencies, climatic data from PAGASA-Laoag synoptic station and Agrometeorological Station in MMSU-Batac, internet search and other sources.

 

Primary data will be gathered using multiple approaches including both quantitative and qualitative methods: i) key informants interview (KIs); ii) focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 15 to 20 Zanjera officials and members; and iii) household survey and direct interviews with 150 rice farmers.

 

In the household interviews, a stratified random sampling procedure will be applied based on ecological zones with reference to the PRB. According to Kothari (2004), stratified sampling involves dividing the population into homogeneous groups containing subjects with similar characteristics.

 

The views of the farmers and their household members on climate change, their accounts of extreme events and how they cope and adapt will be documented. In-depth interviews will be conducted with farmer zanjera officials/members who show appreciable knowledge of environmental changes around them and are involved in community and associations' decision-making.

The economic impact will be assessed in terms of rice production yield and income. Any difference between the base period (5 years recall) and succeeding cropping season will be attributed to the effect of climate change and variability.

 

Primary data to be gathered: socio-demographic profile of rice farmers; sources/annual household income; household expenditures; farm assets; production input cost, average crop yield; local awareness and perception of climate change/variability and trends related to climate change and associated impacts on rice-based livelihood perceptions of climate change and variability; coping mechanisms; adaptation strategies; consequences and impacts of climate related changes and trends, with particular attention to rice-based livelihoods and socio-economic impacts; problems/possible solutions.

 

Quantitative analysis, i.e., frequency counts, percentages will be applied to numerical data and averages. Qualitative analysis will also be resorted to for the interpretation of the narrative contents of secondary data, and also the views and perceptions and the discourses between and among the interviewers and respondents on climate change.