El Niño Impacts on Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao

Teduray farmers share their experiences on the impacts of El Niño in Brgy Sta. Fe, South Upi, Maguindanao.
The Tedurays call their farming system ‘sulagad’ – traditional form of farming with biodiversity as cornerstone to make their farms more resilient and ensure continued source of food for the family. Through the years the sulagad farming practice has been disappearing since they were introduced to new farming technology, especially the use of GMO corn. Tedurays are finding it challenging to transition with their piled up debts and industry pressure for GMO corn farming.