𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙀𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙊𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙁𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙤
In the rural heartlands of Mindanao, small farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples face interconnected struggles tied to land, resources, and climate justice. Small farmers, often landless or caught in endless disputes, continue to face harassment and displacement, exacerbated by policies favoring influential figures and families tied to local politics and power that be; Mindanao is home, where they shared history and their lifeblood. Yet, despite their deep connection to the land, they find themselves locked in a constant struggle against forces that seek to displace, dispossess, and silence them.
Small farmers, often tilling lands they do not own, continue to face harassment from powerful landowners and are entangled in endless disputes. Agrarian reforms that promised justice remain out of reach for many, as bureaucratic red tape, agrarian reform personnel reshuffling, and resistance from landowners create insurmountable barriers. The government’s policies frequently favor large agribusinesses, pushing small farmers to the margins and threatening their livelihoods.
Fisherfolk, too, are also losing access to their traditional fishing grounds as industrial expansion, coastal destruction, and reclamation efforts severely damage the ecosystems they depend on. The push for "development" and commercial interests has prioritized profit over people, leaving fisherfolk displaced and struggling to maintain their way of life. Their struggle for access to sustainable resources mirrors the challenges faced by farmers and indigenous peoples across Mindanao.
For indigenous communities like the Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIP)—the Teduray, Lambangian, Manobo Dulangan, and Erumanen Ne Menuvu—these threats are compounded by historical displacement, violence, and the exploitation of their ancestral domains. Extractive industries and so-called development projects continue to encroach on their lands, often without their consent. The suspension of the ancestral domain delineation process in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) further undermines their rights, and the Anti-Terror Law unjustly targets their leaders, labeling them as insurgents for defending their ancestral domains.
Despite these overwhelming challenges, the resilience of Mindanao's small farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples is unwavering. The struggle for land is a fight for climate justice, dignity, and self-determination. It is also a fight for agroecology—a vision of farming and food systems rooted in sustainability, equity, and respect for the environment.
With October marking both the 16 Days of Global Action on #Agroecology and National Indigenous Peoples Month, we recognize that the path to a just and sustainable future lies in standing and struggling with these communities. Small voices must be heard, rights recognized, and lands protected. Agrarian reform must go beyond words — it must deliver real change for the people who feed our nation. We call for full repeal of the Rice Tariffication Law (RA 11203). We also call for the passing of a genuine NMIP Rights Code and the implementation of policies that prioritize small farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples over corporate interests.
Together, we can create a future in Mindanao where land is no longer a battleground, but a foundation for life, dignity, and sustainability for everyone. The fight for land rights is fundamentally a fight for justice, and true justice is only possible when all communities — from the ridge and reef to the ancestral domains — are empowered, respected, and able to live with dignity. Let us continue our struggle for climate justice! Let us stand united in this struggle for a more inclusive, democratic, and sustainable agrifood system that upholds the rights and humanity of all people.
𝘛𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺-𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘰, 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴!
#AgroecologyNOW
#FoodSovereigntyNow
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