What led to food shortages in the Philippines

The economy of the Philippines is heavily dependent on agriculture. Most of what constitutes food security in the country depends on the agricultural sector; therefore, challenges faced by Filipino farmers and fishermen often have a detrimental effect on food security in the country.

The challenge often does not come from the quality of terrain, as seen in Djibouti. The Philippines is full of fertile lands ready to be cultivated for agriculture. It is the inconsistency of supply due to external disruptions from both controllable and uncontrollable factors that pose a challenge to food availability in the country.

The Philippines' location in the middle of the Pacific makes the country susceptible to typhoons and droughts, some with devastating effects. Last year, a dry spell caused by the El Nino phenomenon destroyed 349,630 metric tons of crops, worth about On the other hand, the string of typhoons that ravaged the country at the end of the year notably slowed down the national agricultural growth rate