7 research outputs found
Heirloom rice in Ifugao: an âanti-commodityâ in the process of commodification
We analyse the marketing of âheirloom ricesâ produced in the Cordillera mountains of northern Luzon, the Philippines, as the commodification of a historical âanti-commodityâ. We contend that, historically, rice was produced for social, cultural and spiritual purposes but not primarily for sale or trade. The Ifugaos were able to sustain terraced wet-rice cultivation within a system of âescape agricultureâ because they were protected from Spanish interference by the friction of terrain and distance. âHeirloom riceâ is a boundary concept that enables social entrepreneurs to commodify traditional landraces. We analyse the implications for local rice production and conservation efforts.Templeton Foundatio