Farmers in Isabela, a province in the Philippines, have long suffered from natural disasters such as flooding and drought. In recent years, climate change has made life even more difficult for farmers in the area. Droughts lasted longer, typhoons became more frequent, and the timing of seasons varied unexpectedly, making it difficult for farmers to predict rainfall. Most farmers in the region depended solely on rainfall to cultivate crops, which meant they could harvest only once a year. As a consequence, farms had low productivity, and many farmers struggled to get by.
In 2009, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Republic of Korea’s international aid organization, launched the East Asia Climate Partnership (EACP), and the Philippines became a partner country of the EACP. In 2010, the government of the Philippines requested EACP support for areas in the Philippines suffering the effects of climate change. The government wanted to build irrigation structures and better manage watersheds, areas of land that drain or “shed” water into rivers and lakes, to prevent flooding and provide farmers with a more consistent water supply. The irrigation structures would impound and store excess water to be used for agriculture or domestic purposes.
The governments of Korea and the Philippines together selected Isabela as the site where they would build a dam and irrigation canals. The province was the second largest rice and corn production region in the Philippines, and irrigation systems could help farmers in Isabela increase crop yields and improve the area’s resilience to climate change.

- Building a dam and irrigation system to help farmers in Isabela, the Philippines, adapt to climate change, 2011–18
- Choi, Sooyoung
- Global Delivery Initiative; KDI School
Title |
Building a dam and irrigation system to help farmers in Isabela, the Philippines, adapt to climate change, 2011–18
Similar Titles
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Material Type | Report |
Author(English) |
Choi, Sooyoung |
Publisher |
[Sejong] : Global Delivery Initiative; KDI School |
Date | 2020-02 |
Series Title; No | Global Delivery Initiative |
Subject Country | South Korea(Asia and Pacific) |
Language | English |
File Type | Link |
Subject | Territorial Development < Environment Social Development < Others Official Aid < Economic Infrastructure |
Holding | Global Delivery Initiative |
License | ![]() |
Abstract