VOLUME 19 NUMBER 2 (July to December 2026)

Preparedness of farmers in Northern Samar on disaster risk reduction and management of livestock

Food security, livelihood stability, and the resilience of farming communities are significantly influenced by how livestock fare during natural disasters. To assess their preparedness and response in managing livestock during natural disasters, 206 livestock farmers from representative municipalities in Northern Samar were interviewed using a nested sampling design. Findings revealed that farmers' disaster preparedness behaviors were shaped by their prior experiences with typhoons and flooding, leading the vast majority (196/206) to integrate livestock into their family disaster plans, including provisions for feed (119/206) and veterinary supplies (109/206). The village public address system was identified as an effective tool for disseminating disaster warnings and preparedness information. The respondents strongly express the need for designated livestock evacuation sites and government subsidies for feed and medicine, and underscored the importance of capacity-building activities focused on animal management during natural disasters. Overall, farmers demonstrated a proactive approach to disaster risk reduction and management by allocating feed resources and providing temporary shelters for their animals, despite the absence of formal livestock evacuation facilities and limited institutional support.