Farmers’ Perception on the Health and Environmental Benefits of Organic Rice Production in the Philippines: Implications for Further Policy Research

Authors

Guinevere T. Madlangbayan, University of the Philippines Los Baños
Agnes C. Rola, University of the Philippines Los Baños

Abstract

Conventional rice production with the use of chemicals was found to have negative externalities both to the farmers’ health and the farming environment. Organic agriculture technologies were developed to minimize such impacts. This paper explores the empirical support of the health and environmental benefits of organic agriculture by generating data from a survey of rice farmers and focus group discussions in rice farming communities. The respondents came from rice farming areas in the country where early adoptors of the organic rice farming system were located. The results of the analysis suggest that farmers fail to recognize the relationship between the perceived social benefits with economic benefits that they could derive from adopting organic agriculture farming system. Future policy research using multidisciplinary approaches is recommended where technical data can support the socio-economic analysis.

Recommended Citation

Madlangbayan, Guinevere T. and Rola, Agnes C. (2016) "Farmers’ Perception on the Health and Environmental Benefits of Organic Rice Production in the Philippines: Implications for Further Policy Research," Journal of Public Affairs and Development: Vol. 3: No. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/jpad/vol3/iss1/3