Food Security and Sustainability in the Changing Climate: The Case of Developing Country

Abstract

Food security is one of the top priority programs of the Philippine Government which has a target to increase farm income and reduce poverty despite of the changing climate. The study aims to provide analysis on the relationship of seasonal and climatic changes on the yield performance of agricultural fruit crops as one major indicator for Agri-Food Security. Specifically to: determine the yield performance of fruit crops for ten years; identify the seasonal changes of fruit crops; the trend of climate; identify what fruit has stable production despite of changing climate; and find out the significant difference of fruit crop yield in particular vis-à-vis seasonal and climatic factors. The descriptive-qualitative method was used. Secondary data was gathered from the Department of Agriculture and PAGASA. Correlation Analysis was employed to determine the relationship. Results show, mango, lanzones, papaya and pineapple have positive linear relationship with temperature. For minimum temperature, papaya and lanzones were negatively related while pineapple, mango and mangos teen showed positive relationship. Mango was negatively related to rainfall and relative humidity. Therefore, fruit production is highly sensitive to climate variability which may result to adverse effect on the yield. The changing climate encompasses fluctuations in agricultural production specifically, fruit crops due to physiological alterations and the entire yield performance.