An Assessment of Shared Agricultural Equipment Management Among Agricultural Cooperatives in San Ildefonso, Bulacan

Date

5-2025

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Melodee Marciana E. De Castro

Committee Member

Dinah Pura T. Depositario, Karen Q. Custodio, Rachelle A. Mariano, Dia Noelle F. Velasco

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Abstract

The management of shared agricultural equipment is a critical approach of agricultural development by collective governance of and utilizing shared resources among farmer cooperatives. Agricultural cooperatives are important institutions in the agricultural municipality of San Ildefonso, Bulacan that foster access to farming machinery like tractors, harvesters, and transplanters, etc. The shared resources for these credit facilities are very important in helping enhance the overall productivity of the farms, their operation costs and the sustainability of the farm practices as a whole. However, these cooperatives have not been able to fully tap into their potential to support local farmers as they continue to face challenges such as confusion on scheduling policy guidelines, poor maintenance systems, and unequal access to shared equipment.

This study was conducted to assess the shared agricultural equipment management among agricultural cooperatives in San Ildefonso, Bulacan. Specifically, it intended to (a) present the profile of the agricultural cooperatives in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, based on their size, membership, and operational scope; (b) identify the shred agricultural equipment owned by these agricultural cooperatives; (c) analyze the organizational structure and policy guidelines in managing shared agricultural equipment by examining the interplay of trust among members, monitoring mechanisms, and incentive systems; (d) assess the quantity dimension of shared agricultural equipment management by measuring the flow of resource units, including the frequency of equipment use, duration of equipment availability, and equitable distribution of machinery access among cooperative members; (e) evaluate the positive impact of shared agricultural equipment management on cooperative members; and (f) provide strategic recommendations to strengthen collective action among farmers, improve common property asset management practices, and enhance the sustainability and equitable utilization of shared agricultural equipment.

Primary data were obtained through face-to face survey from 163 rice farmer-members from seven agriculture cooperatives namely, Bagong Pag-Asa Agriculture Cooperative, Bukal Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, Bulacan Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, Masagana Agriculture Cooperative, New Basuit Agriculture Cooperative, San Ildefonso Palay and Mango Growers Agriculture Cooperative, and Sunday Farmers Agriculture Cooperative and through informal interview to the 7 chairpersons per cooperative. The collected data revealed significant insights into the current state of shared agricultural equipment management in the region.

Demographic analysis revealed that a majority of the respondents were male (73%), between 40 and 59 years of age (62%) and reported monthly income of less than ₱10,957 (81%), thereby emphasizing the socioeconomic challenges of smallholder farmers. Compared with other equipment, all cooperatives had four wheel tractors, and the availability of more special equipment such as harvesters (61.35%) and transplanters (49.08%) was limited. In addition, governance practices remained largely informal, with socially rooted but inconsistently implemented rules for scheduling and maintenance. Though rental fees were deemed reasonable by 96.93% of members, almost half (49.69%) struggled with timely access to machinery. Moreover, 98.16% of respondents identified poor equipment maintenance as a major concern affecting reliability. Despite these challenges, the benefits of shared equipment systems were evident: 96.93% of farmer-members reported reduced production costs, 82.82% observed improved farm productivity, and 91.41% noted stronger community cooperation through collective resource use.

Among all the cooperatives, Sunday Farmers Agriculture Cooperative emerged as the best practice model. It demonstrated clear organizational protocols, transparent scheduling, regular maintenance, and high member engagement. These strengths resulted in more efficient machinery use, reduced conflict, and a sense of shared responsibility among members.

Consequently, the study offers several key recommendations based on these findings. Cooperatives should adopt hybrid governance models, strengthen maintenance protocols, and use digital tools for scheduling and transparency. Government support through funding, training, and inter-cooperative collaboration is essential. Members must take active roles in maintenance and decision-making to ensure sustainability. Future research should explore tech-based solutions, gender access gaps, and best practices from successful cooperative models abroad.

Language

English

LC Subject

Agriculture, Cooperative--Research, Farm equipment

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2025 M17 V53

Notes

Award: Laguna Prime Multipurpose Cooperative (LPMPC) Best Special Problem Report Award

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LBCEM-00850e

Document Type

Thesis

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