Rice, resilience, and relationships: Unpacking the intangible sources of resilience in Southeast Asian heritage ricescapes

Abstract

The resilience of Southeast Asian farming cultures is closely linked to personal and familial commitments, emotional connections to agricultural livelihoods, spirituality, and cultural values. This paper explores the heritage ricescapes of Bali (Indonesia) and Ifugao (Philippines), investigating how these intangible sources, collectively termed the “Is,” contribute to the resilience-building strategies of Indigenous rice farmers through affective relationships. Utilising a mixed-methods approach that combines survey data with qualitative insights from interviews and focus groups, the study identifies four critical “Is”: Personal and Family Commitment, Continuity of Rice Farming and Livelihood Security, Adaptation in Practices, and Personal Beliefs and Spirituality. These elements significantly influence resilience within these agricultural communities. The survey analysis, employing Latent Class Analysis, reveals distinct subgroups of farmers based on their varied utilisation of the “Is,” highlighting the diversity in resilience strategies. This classification enhances our understanding of how different farmer subgroups respond to challenges, informing the development of targeted interventions. The findings emphasise that resilience is not solely dependent on tangible resources but is profoundly shaped by social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions and the affective relationships that underpin them. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to investigate the evolution of resilience strategies and consider integrating participatory action research methods to empower farmers and enhance community engagement. This research aims to inform policies and practices that strengthen resilience and sustainability in agricultural contexts, particularly regarding emerging hazards that threaten Indigenous rice cultivation in World Heritage sites.