Save the Ifugao Rice Terraces

Hungduan Rice Terraces

For 2,000 years, the Ifugao rice terraces have helped to shape the culture, identity, and livelihood not only of our brothers and sisters in the Cordilleras, but also of the Filipino people. They have become symbols of our ingenuity and vision, our rootedness in nature, and the value of community, among others. We cannot allow the rice terraces, as well as these values, to be eroded over time. These help define our being Filipino.

It is important to preserve the Ifugaos’ traditional methods of upland rice farming and sustainable communal agriculture, and, more importantly, pass on this knowledge to future generations of Ifugaos, as these are sources of huge tourism and economic impact that will also improve the incomes of the Ifugao folk.

damaged irrigation

We cannot kill the Ifugao farmers’ source of life, culture, and pride. We must do whatever we can to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the rice terraces and make a sustainable living out of them. We owe it not only to them or to ourselves, but to our ancestors who have entrusted the rice terraces to us over the last 2,000 years.

For more updates on these efforts, interested parties may like the “Save the Ifugao Rice Terraces campaign” page on Facebook or follow @saveIRT on Twitter. Those who wish to help may also email savericeterraces@gmail.com.

upper Batad damaged eroded rice terraces