The municipality of Hingyon was a part of the ClimBeR Learning Exchange at IIRR Headquarters, Silang, Cavite (October 28-29, 2024). Our municipality was represented by our Local Chief Executive Hon. Florencio B. Nalula and Municipal Agriculturist, Mr. Andres Dimoc, Jr.

The Learning Exchange aimed to showcase the accomplishments of the ClimBeR Initiative and other climate change efforts in the Philippines, offering insights into how various organizations, institutions, smallholder farmers, and cooperators have initiated and sustained interventions to tackle climate change, food security, and livelihood priorities across the country.

In our municipality, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) through the ClimBer Initiative, implemented the project “Optimizing Tinawon Rice Production System through the Integration of Aquaculture.” This aims to safeguard the “tinawon” rice of Hingyon by increasing production and profitability of the entire production system through diversification by integrating tilapia in rice production. This program will cover 50 farmers from the 4 barangays of Hingyon namely Bitu, Mompolia, Poblacion, and Cababuyan South.

The event gathered participants from various sectors, including LGUs from Hingyon, Ifugao; Guinayangan, Quezon; and General Emilio Aguinaldo, Cavite; government offices such as the Department of Agriculture, DA-CRAO, DA-PhilRice, DA-RFO 2, and DOST-PCCARD; academic institutions including Cavite State University, Xavier University, De La Salle University, and the University of the Philippines; NGOs and CSOs like the World Food Programme (WFP), Conservation International (CI), the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), People and the Sea (PepSea), and the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF); as well as international organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), SEARCA, and the Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT—all united in their efforts to address climate change challenges.