In Eastern Visayas region alone, Typhoon Haiyan damaged or destroyed 33 million coconut stands, affecting 1.7 million people in the coconut sector.
To help the Government of the Philippines address the recovery and rehabilitation needs of the affected population, FAO partnered with the Canadian Government to restore and improve small-scale coconut farmers' livelihoods, as well as food security and nutrition at the household and community level.
Through this project, at least 11 000 small-scale coconut farming households benefitted from intercropping and livestock support, post-harvest support, establishment of nursery structures and access to sustainable alternative livelihood options. Additionally, beneficiaries were introduced to value-adding enterprises and climate-resilient farming systems that will reduce their vulnerability to future natural disasters.
This Canadian project was part of FAO's overarching effort to rehabilitate the coconut-based farming sector by assisting 35 500 farming families, including 3 000 upland farmers in typhoon-affected areas.