Conservation of Ligawasan Marsh in Mindanao, Philippines, Through an Indigenous Knowledge System: Climate Change Mitigation and Disaster Risk Management

Abstract

The Ligawasan Marsh (LM) area, comprising 288,000 ha, is home to hundreds of thousands of Magindanawn Bangsamoro fishermen/rice farmers whose basic means of livelihood are wild fishing and traditional rice farming. This study assessed the indigenous knowledge system (IKS), laws and conservation practices in fishing and rice farming and the sustainability of the marshland for climate and disaster risk management. The fisher-farmers practised traditional fishing and farming beliefs/rituals, which promote sustainability. Indigenous laws banning electric and chemical fishing and fly catching were strictly enforced. A peaceful co-existence was preserved between the traditional and religious groups and the Bangsamoro mujahedeen leaders to enable them to work in unity despite their cultural differences. An exclusive open access regarding the rights to control over accessibility and utilisation of the marshland was practised. Aquatic wildlife with economic value remained abundant in the marshland (fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and other aquatic organisms). Values obtained on the physico-chemical properties of the marshland were within normal range, indicating that the area remains an ideal habitat for fish and other aquatic resources. The overall level of sustainability including factors such as ecological soundness, cultural acceptability, social justice, economic viability and technological appropriateness were rated moderate. This indicates that the marshland has gained some degree of degradation due to the occurrence of natural calamities and centuries of utilisation by the fishers-farmers. A sustainability framework is put forward to strike a balance between the socio-economic, bio-physical environment, IKS, and laws to enhance sustainability of the Ligawasan Marsh for climate and disaster risk management.