Weathering the Storm: Adverse Conditions, Adaptive Capacities and Resilience of Cacao Farmers in Disaster-Prone Areas

Abstract

Farmers’ repeated exposure to disasters is disconcerting. I explored the essences of resilience of cacao farmers as they encountered adverse conditions in disaster prone areas of the CARAGA region, and how they mobilize their adaptive capacities to surmount these adverse conditions. I utilized qualitative descriptive study, interviewed fifteen cacao farmers which I selected through purposive sampling, and applied thematic analysis. I found that cacao farmers experience recurring adverse conditions caused by typhoons, strong winds, soil erosion, nutrient loss, pest infestations, and plant diseases that significantly affect farm productivity and crop survival. Cacao farmers demonstrated adaptive capacities by implementing practical strategies to sustain their farms and livelihoods. It was recognized that while nature cannot be controlled, but farms can be prepared through proper management and environmental stewardship. Resilience among cacao farmers is not a single reaction to disaster, but a long-term process grounded in patience, adaptation, environmental awareness, and sustained commitment to their livelihoods. Farmers may strengthen ecological coping strategies such as maintaining agroforestry systems, planting windbreaks, and avoiding “upaw” or bare farms to reduce soil erosion and protect crops from strong winds and heavy rainfall. Future studies may use regression, mediation analysis, and exploratory factor analysis may be pursued in developing instruments for disaster-related farming.