Crop Farmers' Perceptions Toward Agriculture and Family Farming Succession

Date

5-2016

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Jeanette Angeline B. Madamba

Committee Member

Loida E. Mojica, Mar B. Cruz, James Roldan S. Reyes, Dinah Pura T. Depositario

Abstract

For years, farmers have held negative perceptions towards agriculture, as part of the cultural mindset. Farmers were always looked upon as poor or lowly individuals while farming was perceived as hard labor. These, however, resulted in endangering the future of food sustainability as current trends have shown a worldwide phenomenon of aging farmers and less number of youth interested in farming.

A study on crop farmers‟ perceptions towards agriculture and family farming succession was conducted. More specifically, the objectives of the study aimed to: 1) present the demographic profile of farming families and their farm business; 2) determine the farmers‟ perception towards agriculture; 3) assess farmers‟ perception on family farming succession; and 4) provide insights on the farmers‟ perception towards agriculture and family farming succession. Data were gathered through personal interviews as well as survey on selected 120 respondents from all of the eight barangays in Enrile East, Cagayan Valley. Respondents were chosen using stratified random sampling specifically proportionate sampling. The respondents were asked to rate Likert – scale items on perceptions about agriculture based on information from news articles and previous studies. As most of the information was qualitative in nature, descriptive analysis was used in the study.

Results show that 35% of the farmers had ages ranging between 56 to 66 years old. Seventy- eight percent of them were male and 85% were married. The average household size was estimate to be five. Majority (30.83%) of the farmers was elementary graduates and 22.50% of them were elementary undergraduates. Most (68%) were cultivating one fourth to a hectare piece of land and majority (62%) of them were tenants. Most of the farmers (28.33%) had been farming for two to ten years and earning an income of PhP 0 to PhP 5000 per cropping season on the basis of a per hectare of land cultivated. Seventy – seven percent of the respondents were dependent on agricultural activities growing mostly rice, peanut and corn as a source of income.

In general, the respondents shared the same positive view on agriculture being a source of livelihood for the family, regardless of their tenure. Though, the farming exposure of respondents cannot be quantified, most of them reported to have had an exposure to farming activities since their childhood. The respondents perceived agriculture as a source of livelihood, capable of sustaining the family and also as a fallback for those who have lost their jobs in the city and decided to stay in the province. Despite considerations that farming is a difficult job, most of the respondents claimed not to regret pursuing farming activities nor willing to give up farming for another job. Most of the landowners had other career options aside from farming yet they were unwilling to leave the farm. The non- land owners on the other hand did not have other career options besides farming. The farmers‟ view on farming profitability was found to be dependent on specific resources such as capital access and owning a large area of farm. Most of the farmers were motivated to engage in agricultural activities because of their parents‟ influence and also to provide for the family at the same time.

Despite the positive perceptions of the respondents towards agriculture, they were found to have negative perceptions on farming succession. Most of the farmers could not see farming interest in their children and preferred to support their children in their career choice rather than encouraging them to engage in farming. Based on the respondents‟ statements, they did not want their children to become farmers. The disagreement between the perceptions on agriculture and farming succession was due to the differences on the perceptual set of the respondents regarding the two objects being perceived. In relation to engaging in farming activities, the farmers were motivated to provide food for their family whereas in relation to farming succession, their motives shifted to the betterment of the lives of their children in the future. They perceived that agriculture could not give their children a good life; hence, they did not want their children to become farmers, based on the farmers‟ experiences in farming.

Based on the perceptions presented in the study, farming succession seems to be a farfetched reality, which may have an effect on the future of food sustainability. Farming parents do not want their children to become farmers because of the hardships that they have experienced in farming. With this, the overwhelming challenges being faced by the farmers in their farms must be addressed first and imply the urgent need for government and private sector intervention in order to lessen their apprehensions in case their children would want to pursue agricultural careers. Ways by which current farming income can be improved such as crop diversification to fully utilize the farm or introduction of high yielding crop varieties to increase productivity as well as viable risk mitigation strategies can be made known to the respondents, to alter their perceptions that there is no future in agriculture.

Language

English

LC Subject

Agriculture--Philippines, Crop improvement

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2016 M17 C376

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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