Assessing the Impact of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) on the Livelihood of Coconut Dependent Farmers in Kananga, Leyte and Sogod, Southern Leyte, Philippines

The coconut industry was heavily devastated when super typhoon Yolanda (internationally known as Haiyan) hit Eastern Visayas, Philippines in November 2013. This study aims to assess the impact of super typhoon Yolanda on the livelihood of coconut farmers in Leyte by determining the lost income of farmers from the coconut harvests after the devastation of the super typhoon. A face-to-face interview was conducted among 150 randomly selected respondents in Kananga, Leyte and Sogod, Southern Leyte. Difference-in-difference analysis was used to estimate the impact of the super typhoon on coconut production. Results show that the impact of super typhoon Yolanda translates to a reduction in coconut income by PHP 10,882.18 (USD 217.64) per hectare per cropping. The income of coconut farmers significantly decreased after the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda. Prices of copra, the main product of coconut, have increased by 21.93% after the typhoon incident because of the substantial reduction of production in Leyte. In response, majority of coconut dependent farmers pursued the replanting of coconuts after the devastation of the super typhoon. Considering the unprecedented challenges faced by small scale coconut farmers, it is recommended that the government and non-government organizations promote climate-resilient agricultural practices in coconut farming.