Building Inclusive Coconut-Based Livelihoods

Typhoon Haiyan damaged or destroyed more than 33 million coconut trees in the Philippines in November 2013, putting at risk the livelihoods of more than one million farming households. This paper summarizes the key results of consultations in affected provinces, held to help inform the government’s rehabilitation and recovery plans and ensure that their implementation is inclusive and participatory.

Key recommendations from the report:

Fisherfolk and coastal communities, together with their development partners, call on the Philippine government to:

• Develop a recovery and reconstruction plan that is responsive, transparent and appropriate to the needs of fisherfolk and coastal communities
• Establish participatory and transparent processes in the development and implementation of the reconstruction plan.
• Ensure that women are recognized as fishers and are included in the official government fisherfolk registry. 
• Prioritize the creation of fisherfolk resettlement areas consistent with existing laws to reduce the vulnerabilities of coastal communities. 
• Ensure the availability of adequate funds for the establishment of fisherfolk settlement areas (whether temporary or permanent).
• Ensure a transparency mechanism in the management (including disbursement/release) of funds for recovery and reconstruction.

International humanitarian organizations, development sponsors and non-government organizations should:  

• Support the advocacy agenda of fishing communities and their civil society partners
• Pursue short and long-term recovery programmes within a broader humanitarian and development perspective