BIODIVERSITY and Rice: Climate Changeby | 21-05-2016 21:39 |
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 Hi! First of all, I took the title of this article from a museum exhibit in Manila. The exhibit is located at the Museum of the Filipino People. The title seems convoluted. What does biodiversity have to do with rice, a staple crop and climate change? To answer this, we need some background about the Philippines -it is a megadiverse country. Which means local flora and fauna are unlikely to be found anywhere else (Think, exotic orchid species and the monkey eating eagle, mouse deer, tarsier) -Rice is a staple crop, and eaten 3x a day by all Filipinos -it is an archipelago located in the fringes of the Pacific Ocean. Hence its vulnerability to typhoons. -the country is densely populated. 100 million Filipinos live in the island country plus a 12 million strong diaspora dispersed globally. RICE CULTIVATION LEADS TO FOREST DEPLETION So, high population density = less land to cultivate crops. Which means forests have to go down in order to cultivate more rice. Forest cover in the Philippines is down more than ever and of course, the biodiversity found in these areas, already vulnerable to manmade activities brought about by tourism and exploitation, is facing imminent destruction. CLIMATE CHANGE FORCES PEOPLE TO ADAPT TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS Many Filipinos live along the coastline. Major cities down to the tiniest hamlets are located not far from an estuary, river, or sea. As sea levels continue to rise globally, the Philippine coastline also begins to erode piece by piece. People relocate to higher ground, burning forests, slashing vegetation in order to create new communities. Rice fields replace tree cover. People replace animals. It is with these dire consequences in mind that the National Museum presents the long cultural heritage and paramount importance oft given to rice by Filipino tribal elders. To remind people that our ancestors once worshipped nature, strove to be in sync with it, and thanked the Almighty for the bountiful harvests that came their way. It seems that their descendants have been blinded. Make haste , and together, let's change the world ! |
