Building Resilience in the Philippine Coffee Supply Chain: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Resilience within the coffee sector presents a significant global challenge, particularly for coffee-producing regions that are adapting to fluctuating climatic conditions, which are compounded by various other stressors. The Philippines exemplifies this challenge, where social, economic, and environmental risks further diminish the already low productivity of its coffee industry. This study examines the hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks affecting the Southern Philippine coffee supply chain, while proposing strategies to enhance its resilience. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, and utilises an integrated framework based on the resilience definition by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the 3-Dimension Resilience Framework, and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework in its analysis. The study finds that heavy rainfall significantly decreases yields in Philippine coffee-growing areas, often leading to landslides on steep, high-altitude farms. These challenges are compounded by elevated production costs, farmer debts, and intensifying market competition. To address these increasing vulnerabilities and enhance access to sustainable livelihood resources, actors in the Southern Philippine coffee sector implement absorptive, adaptive, and transformative strategies. The quantitative findings indicate that coffee farmers exhibit a low level of resilience, suggesting that current strategies are inadequate. The qualitative insights depict that coffee supply chain actors utilise their available livelihood resources, relational power, assets, and a nurturing natural environment to strengthen their resilience. These resources include collaborative training programmes, access to facilities and inputs, and advocacy for environmentally friendly practices. Additionally, the study’s policy review highlights the implemented policies in the Philippines aimed at providing inputs, facilities, infrastructure, subsidies, and access to financial services. However, existing policies remain insufficient, emphasising the critical need for better policy development, execution, and assessment.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Supervisor	Laurence Delina (Supervisor) & Kim-Pong Tam (Supervisor)