Magdaleno Gamuela, 78, of Candon, Ilocos Sur, sprays pesticide on his half-hectare rice farm, which he has tended for the past five decades.
His field typically produces about 60 sacks of palay each harvest, but farmers like Gamuela are confronting mounting challenges that threaten their livelihoods.
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) has warned that the country’s rice production could decline sharply in the fourth quarter of 2026, citing a combination of excessive rice imports, soaring fertilizer costs, the lingering effects of El Niño, and inadequate irrigation systems-pressures that continue to weigh heavily on smallholder farmers and the nation’s food security.