Deep in the mountains of Davao City, beside the river that snakes into the Davao Gulf, lives the Matigsalog tribe. Anthropologists say that they are descended form the ethnic group Ata Manobos of Central Mindanao. They are the people from the river: “matig” meaning from, and “salug” meaning river.

The Matigsalogs are found in Brgy. Gumitan, one of the 182 barangays of the city. Cradled by hills and fed by the Davao River, the land is blessed with lush vegetation and fertile soil.

Despite rapid urbanization, they have maintained most of their traditional way of life, including the indigenous methods in farming. For generations, women are called upon to tbe the keepers of the seeds as the men were out hunting or, in recent decades, looking for jobs that will provide them cash to sustain their needs.

It is said that because women are left to care for the home and children, they are the bearers of life, and as such, must ensure the tribe’s survival. The seeds are entrusted to their care because they know how crucial it is in the fabric of their lives.

When their daughters marry, the mothers give them different varieties of seeds as part of the dowry, the daughter is then expected to keep the seeds for the next generation.

Norma Ramirez, former barangay councilor, said that women in their tribe are traditionally the ones who till the fields. She said that in her safekeeping are 58 upland rice varieties. She chooses the variety of rice to be planted for each planting season. In recent years, she said that they experienced rains almost throughout the year. Since they plant only once a year, they carefully take the grains that have not failed to provide them with food despite the lengthening wet season.

She also has a rice variety that can be planted during the dry season. Even if it does not rain for three or four months, the seeds remain in the soil, and if it is not eaten by birds or other pests, it will grow once the rains come. She knows what variety of rice have health benefits for those suffering from ailments.

The tribe has to deal with heavy rains, drought, rat infestation and weed and plant diseases but they were able to continue to plant upland rice varieties handed to them for generations due to the seedbanking and selection process they practice.

The changing climate, the unpredictable weather patterns, may pose a challenge to their traditional way of life. With Climate Change there is a need to look for rice varieties that require less water to produce. According to government data, the temperature in Davao City will get warmer and hotter.

City agriculturists Leonardo Avila III says that in order to produce a kilo of rice, a farmer needs 4000 liters of water. Upland varieties meanwhile can survive or rain alone.

There is still more to be done it terms of classifying the characteristics of seeds that will thrive in adverse weather conditions.

But the Matigsalog tribe, through generations of their own seedbanking practices may be one of the bearers of the rice seeds that can adapt to climate change.