Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Farming Amidst Urbanization: Perspectives of Rice Farmers in Cabuyao City, Laguna

Date

6-2023

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Emil John C. Cabrera

Committee Member

Glenn N. Baticados, Gian Carlo U. De Jesus, Mar B. Cruz

Abstract

With the rapid urbanization in Cabuyao City, farmlands in Cabuyao are gradually converted into agricultural lands affecting the livelihood of local rice farmers. This is due to the demand for housing the growing population of workers from the industrial sector, putting farmers at risk of livelihood loss and displacement. The study aims to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Cabuyao rice farmers amidst the urbanization, in order to identify possible interventions so that they could still be able to adapt with the ongoing changes in the city. Specifically, the objectives of the study include the following: (a) describe the socio-demographic characteristics of rice farmer respondents in Cabuyao City; (b) identify the effects of urbanization to rice farming in Cabuyao City; (c) assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of farmer respondents in rice farming amidst the urbanization; (d) analyze the correlation between such knowledge, attitudes, and practices and socio-demographic factors; and (e) Recommend actions in order for farmer respondents to cope with the effects of urbanization on rice farming.

Seventy-five (75) farmer respondents were identified using snowball sampling, and two key local government officials were interviewed to meet the objectives of the study. The interviews were guided by a questionnaire. The gathered data was grouped, tabulated and analyzed quantitatively using non-parametric instruments. The results of the correlation were used in understanding the relationship between the independent and dependent variables through using the themes generated from the respondents’ interviews.

The respondents of the study were not able to finish schooling and relied on farming as their primary livelihood. Majority of them are in the age range of 50-64 years old, classified as small scale farmers and earn below the minimum wage. More than half of them have 30-44 years of experience in farming and primarily rely on it as their source of livelihood.

Themes emerged from the knowledge about the implication of urbanization to farming includes poverty, farmland marginalization, lesser harvest and the prioritization of housing projects. Usual misconceptions about the effects of urbanization are climate change, crop rotation, high pest incidence and non-easy conversion of lands. The attitudes of the respondents are: Motivation towards subsidies, existence of lands, achievements, contribution to the local production, and machinery; demotivation towards sold lands, lack of livelihood opportunities, and costs of machineries; fear of hunger, competition, low income, full conversion, calamity, and taxes; and dissatisfaction on irrigation, income and high prices of inputs. For the practices of the respondents, some capacity in terms of income and insurance but incapacitated in terms of irrigation and high prices of inputs. Also, their intention to continue farming are affected by the decades of experience in farming, lack of educational attainment, and the income they generate. On the other hand, discontinuing are affected by the decision of the landowner to stop cultivating the lands, and the retirement of some of the respondents. Lastly, it is evident how there is a lacking in terms of consultations, training, and seminars for the respondents to cope with the ongoing urbanization.

The identified knowledge gaps roots from the lack of information dissemination. Then, the attitude barriers were the results of lack of safeguard within the conversion law, lack of subsidy to optimize farming, low income and uncertainties which result to the deem lands as unproductive and become subject for conversion. Lastly, the practice patterns of the respondents include the lack of utilization of associations to maximize participation and the lack of initiative to demand from institutions.

The researcher recommends that the farmers become more proactive in organizing themselves and in consolidation their concerns, struggles, and demand’s. Collective action could also be essential in pooling their scarce resources in order to maximize their production. Lastly, utilization of technologies such as high yielding and drought resistance varieties and other livelihood opportunities could be beneficial increasing the income of the farmers. On the other hand, the local government unit could further strengthen the law in order to assert farmers’ rights. Also, budget prioritization could alleviate the struggles of farmers. With this, incentive programs could be implemented to further boost the local production. Lastly, the local agricultural office could prioritize the farmer s into the transition of urban farming in which local farmers could still practice their decades of experience on smaller spaces amidst the conversion of lands.

Language

English

LC Subject

Urbanization--Economic aspects, Agriculture, Rice Farmers

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2023 M17 G66

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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