PRESERVING THE HEIRLOOM RICE OF LAKE SEBU
The uplands of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato is home to as many as 136 documented traditional rice varieties. With the challenges of climate change and the lack of interest of many young people in farming looming, farmer Nonito Malingay of the Ubo and T'Boli Indigenous Peoples is leading the way in preserving these heirloom rice varieties using indigenous knowledge and innovation.
His story was selected from 273 stories received from 68 countries around the world through an open call held in 2025, entitled “Global Call for Stories: Family farmers at the heart of climate-resilient and sustainable agrifood systems” led by the
@FAOFFKP, the FAO Family Farming Engagement, Parliamentary Networks and ComDev Initiatives Unit and a coalition of Allies.
Read more about Nonito's journey here:
openknowledge.fao.org/items/…
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