Hybrid rice varieties, or those produced by breeding two different parents, made their inroads into Philippine farms in the 1970s, gradually supplanting indigenous varieties and making the farmers dependent on chemical inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, the capital requirements for producing those varieties pushed many small farmers into indebtedness.

From Sabang to Merauke and from sarung to kebaya, textiles are central to many Indonesian traditions and woven into the national culture. Now, a homegrown organisation in Java is working to make these fabrics more sustainable.

We formally launched Kebun Gandaria, or the agro-ecology model farm of Samdhana in Kota Bogor, West Java in December 2022. 

Kebun Gandaria, with a land area of 1,400m2, is located in the Tegal Gundil housing complex in Bogor City. Since 2014, Samdhana has been managing the farm and planting many local fruit trees. As such, the Kebun area remains to be the only green spot in this highly-built residential area in Bogor. 

During 2022, Samdhana made progress in various fields as part of the ICONIQ Project. This initiative sets out to tackle a range of issues, including climate justice, gender equality and poverty alleviation. By working with partners, across sectors and with a multidisciplinary approach, the Project is making a difference to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in Southeast Asia.

From 28 May – 2 June 2023, the Asia Learning Exchange on Social Inclusiveness and Youth in Tenure Reform Processes was held in Bali, Indonesia. Attended by members of Indigenous groups and organisations from around the world, the event offered a chance to listen, learn, be inspired, discuss and coordinate on how to best advance different aspects of tenure security in the wider context of Asia.

It’s damgo In Bisaya or Cebuano and damugu among the Higaonon and Talaandig. Both words mean the same thing -- dream. It’s also the name that the Lumad weavers of Barangay San Rafael in Talakag town in Bukidnon gave themselves – Damugu Weavers Association.

Weaving, or paglala, among the islands’ native inhabitants dates as far back as the 13th century. Normally, if not exclusively done by women, the craft served a cultural purpose as the indigenous peoples’ link to the spirits whom they would invoke for protection and good health.

To borrow a popular quote of Lucy Larcom, ‘(S)he who plants a tree, plants a hope.’ The Higaonon community of Sitio Panlablaba, Awang in the Dulangan Unified Ancestral Domain (DUAD) is on its third year of re-planting the bare hills in their area. Under the leadership of the Datu Macalamag Marcus Nabatlao, Sr., and the participation of the  youth and women, they had successfully established their nursery even at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020, and have continued to grow seedlings for re-planting. 
 

Collaboration with local community, government, and CSOs help to strengthen customary institutions.  This was demonstrated during the Tambrauw Indigenous Peoples' Institution (LEMATA) Customary Meeting which took place in Fef District on January 19, 2023.
 
An organization or community institution known as a "customary institution" is one that has been set up by a particular customary law community. 

Parallel to the struggle of the Indigenous People in Southern Bukidnon to assert their rights to self-governance and to their ancestral territories is also the day-to-day struggle of the memeritan to tend to household chores, send their kids to school and to ensure that food is available for their families, these among others.

One of the cornerstones of product marketing is competent human resources. Cognisant of this fact, Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (AMAN) and Hulu Sungai Tengah (HST) held a joint training session to maximise the skills of the Balai Juhu Indigenous Peoples (IP), specifically in regard to managing agricultural commodities such as coffee and honey.