Vulnerability assessment of agri-aqua production areas for climate resilient communities and livelihoods in Cagayan, Philippines

摘要

The Cagayan province, being bounded by mountain ranges and traversed by the great Cagayan River, is vulnerable to different climate hazards. Most of which are typhoons which further cause more destructive aftermaths such as flooding, soil erosion, pests and diseases, economic crises, and others. These incur great losses not only on agriculture, fisheries and infrastructures, but also on human lives. With these, strategies and practices to increase the level of awareness of the communities on the perils brought about by climate change shall be adapted. This paper addresses these problems through vulnerability assessment and mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) to identify the level of vulnerability of three selected municipalities in the province, with regards to their agriculture and aquaculture production systems. Vulnerability indicators from each study sites and their respective barangays were identified and the vulnerability indices of each were obtained. From this information, vulnerability maps were generated. These maps identify the hazards experienced in each study site, the frequency of hazard occurrence and the level of their vulnerability of each area to these hazards. The maps will also guide policy makers and the government on adopting climate resilient practices and technologies that could help mitigate the adverse effects of changing climate patterns in agri-aquaculture sectors.