The Farmers' Association for Rural Upliftment (FARU) is an initiative of the Chananaw indigenous people of Kalinga Province in the Philippines. The initiative aims to protect the environmental integrity of the Chananaw's ancestral domain through improved land management and more efficient agricultural techniques. Catalysts for the formation of the initiative included large-scale mining and geothermal projects, as well as local slash-and-burn agricultural practices.
In response, FARU revived an indigenous community conserved area – the Chananaw Ullikong, and improved farm productivity through the introduction of locally-appropriate technologies and agricultural practices. Since the initiative began, rice production has increased by 36 per cent, significantly reducing poverty rates. |