Typhoon Haiyan damaged or destroyed more than 33 million coconut trees in the Philippines in November 2013, putting at risk the livelihoods of more than one million farming households. The recovery presents an opportunity for the government to break the cycle of poverty and disaster impacts endured by so many coconut farmers. This paper summarizes the key results of consultations in affected provinces and sets out the challenges that the government’s rehabilitation and recovery plans must address, to ensure they inclusive, participatory and improve the lives of poor farmers.