Research and Development Agenda for Small Islands in the Philippines: Results from a Multi-Stakeholder National Forum

Research and Development Agenda for Philippine Small Islands

Abstract

The Philippines has 7,641 islands, most of which are small and underdeveloped. While studies have been done on topics such as poverty reduction, climate change, and economic development, there is no integrated research and development (R&D) agenda for small islands. Furthermore, literature points to the lack of consensus on the definition of small islands. As such, the study wove together existing bodies of knowledge and stakeholder perspectives on small islands in the country using a qualitative research design. Data were collected through a desk review, workshops, and key informant interviews. Four categories of small islands were proposed, namely micro-island, small island barangay, small island municipality, and small island province. Results also showed that despite the growing body of knowledge on small islands, few published longitudinal and impact studies exist. Therefore, this study developed an R&D agenda for small islands, which includes the enhancement of institutional research capabilities, as well as emphasis on water-energy-food production nexus, postharvest, transportation, and circular approaches to small island agriculture and livelihood systems. These findings can guide the development of policies and research tailored to small island contexts in the country.