Kiangan farmers urge gov’t subsidy to maintain terraces

By Daniel B. Codamon 

KIANGAN, Ifugao -- Poor farmers maintaining the UNESCO-listed world heritage site  Kiangan Rice Terraces at Barangay Nagacadan here are looking forward to  Vice President-elect Leonora Aurora Robredo  to make good her promise to them. 

Robredo, who visited the farmers here despite the bad weather last Oct. 13,   promised to champion their cause  after listening   to farmers relate their problems during a dialogue with them at ancient village of Pau of Barangay Nagacadan that forms the first stage of the Open Air Museum .

            The farmers told the Vice President although it is their pride Kiangan Rice Terraces was inscribed World Heritage List by UNESCO, it poses a big responsibility and problem to them relative to its maintenance and preservation since it entails great cost, time and effort yet the yield is not enough to support and sustain their economic needs.

This is the reason why until now they are living on a subsistence level and that the younger generations are leaving the place in search of greener pasture causing outmigration problem.

            The farmers want government will give them subsidy to augment their income as caretaker and for maintenance and preservation of the heritage site as the income they derive from it is not enough.

Likewise, assistance for the restoration of damaged areas of the rice terraces caused by typhoons or heavy rains. 

Robredo said she will look for sources of funds locally and internationally to help the farmers of Kiangan.