FARMERS PROBLEM

A Case Study
Submitted to the Faculty of
Buenavista Integrated National High School
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Magdalena, Laguna

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirement for the Subject
Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences

MICA ELLA R. TEODORO

EUNICE LOVE SABARILLO
JOHN VINCENT MOLINA
ASHIE MANIGBAS
2023
 I. VIEW POINT

Here we will know what the meaning of the farmers' problem is. And we will
know what are the main problems of the farmer and what the solution for their
problem. A farmer is a person who runs and works on a farm. Some farmers raise a
variety of food crops, while others keep dairy cows and sell their milk. Farmers work
in some aspect of agriculture, growing vegetables, grains, or fruit; or raising animals
for milk, eggs, or meat.

II. TIME CONTEXT

MANILA, Philippines — Challenging. Crisis. Controversial. This was how

some agricultural stakeholders described how the sector fared in 2022. Indeed, it
was still a difficult year for the Philippine agriculture sector as importation still
trumped over local production. The industry also continued to reel from the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic plus the Russia-Ukraine war which pushed up input and
food costs and worsened logistical issues globally, further hurting local producers.
The year also saw a change in administration, from one that favored policies on the
importation of some agricultural products amid supply and price pressures to another
which placed high priority on the agriculture sector.

With a promise to attain food self-sufficiency and reduce the country’s

dependence on importation. The previous administration was widely criticized for
having implemented policies that prioritized the excessive importation of some
agricultural products such as meat, fish, sugar and rice. This fondness for
importation marred the sector, on top of the impact of typhoons on agricultural lands,
the African swine fever (ASF) on the hog sector, the Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza or bird flu on the poultry sector and the lingering effects of the COVID-19
pandemic.

With a new administration, a new hope shone over the agriculture sector as
President Marcos decided to personally take the helm of the Department of
Agriculture (DA) with the goal of attaining food self-sufficiency and reducing the
country’s dependence on importation.
But six months into the Marcos administration, that promise – at least reducing
dependence on imports – has yet to be fulfilled.

Early into his administration, the sector has been besieged by a shortage in
sugar supply, stunted quality of chicken and reduced palay production. Not much has
changed from 2021 to last year for the agriculture sector – it is still in a “crisis,”
Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) chairman and former agriculture secretary
Leonardo Montemayor said.

III. DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEMS

 Farmer need to deal with many problems,including how to:cope with climate
change,soil erosion and biodiversity loss.Satisfy consumers changing tastes
and expectations.Meet rising demand for more food of higher quality.
  While they may complain about the price of rice in supermarkets or enjoy so-
called unli-rice meals at their favorite fast-food chains, urban Filipinos don't
always appreciate just how crucial rice is to our culture and way of life. And it's
not just because we're among the world's biggest consumers of rice per
capita. More than a tenth of Filipinos rely on rice as a source of income as
well as sustenance.

 By some estimates, there are 10 million rice farmers in the Philippines, a

country of just over 100 million. When you include people in rice trade and
processing, as well the dependents of everyone in the rice business, you
begin to see how much of the social and economic impact of rice in the
Philippines.Unfortunately, rice farmers, the very people we Filipinos depend
on for the bulk of our caloric requirements, are among the most
disadvantaged in the country. Decades of systemic problems have resulted in
a situation where farmers are finding it harder and harder to make a living.
Below are some of the serious challenges Filipino rice farmers face.

1. High Input Costs

2. Lack of Post-Harvest Facilities
3. Climate Change
4. Market Forces
5. Land Rent
6. Demographics

1. High Input Cost

Many Filipino farmers are simply unable to take their production further due to
the high expense of many critical inputs. Compounding this is the low palay prices
that could be expected after harvesting, which keeps many farmers in a perpetual
state of struggle and often in serious debt. 
Partly due to market forces and exploitative practices, basics such as
fertilizers, high-yield seed grains, and mechanized farm equipment are prohibitively
priced for many farmers, who must then struggle harder to produce a profitable crop
through more labor-intensive methods. Advanced farm inputs such as agricultural
drones and AI and data-driven farming, which would save labor and prevent waste,
are even more out of reach. 
2. Lack of Post-Harvest Facilities 
Most of the crop losses of farmers are post-harvest. This has been largely
attributed to the historically poor private and public investment in infrastructure that
can prevent these losses.
The lack of storage facilities, farm-to-market roads, and equipment needed to
prevent losses from exposure, pests, and natural deterioration have been perennial
issues for Filipino farmers.
The lack of these facilities and equipment makes it difficult for most farmers to
produce enough to turn in a profit, as these losses destroy a significant portion of
crops even before they make it to market.
Additionally, the lack of these basic amenities makes it difficult or even
impossible for farmers to earn enough to ensure a succeeding harvest without
needing to take on significant loans.
3. Climate Change
Climate change is causing seasonal typhoons to happen more frequently and
with more ferocity while leading to dry seasons with unheard-of high temperatures.
Both of these situations are damaging enough for most farms’ productivity. However,
the negative effects of climate change do not stop there. 
Climate change has also led to rising sea levels, a serious matter in an
archipelagic country with a population that mostly resides and farms in the
lowlands. Signs of saltwater intrusion have already been detected all over the
country, in most of its so-called “rice bowls,” with experts predicting a crisis before
the end of the decade. If it comes to pass, it could render millions of hectares of
riceland unsuitable for most of today’s widely used rice cultivars.

4. Market Forces
The market for rice has changed much over the past generation. Not only are
cheaper imports from Vietnam and other Asian countries pricing Filipino farmers out,
but domestic rice consumption has also been dropping slowly over the past few
decades.
Meanwhile, as mentioned earlier, the cost of necessary inputs only continues to rise.
This has created severe pressures for rice farmers throughout the country, causing
many to abandon farming to take their chances in the country’s urban centers.

5. Land Rent
While land rent could be considered as another high-input cost, this is a
uniquely serious issue given its political nature and also because most Filipino
farmers do not own the land they cultivate.
Most of the ASEAN had implemented agrarian land reform policies decades
ago to ensure not only food security but also better lives for their farmers. The
Philippines has been late in implementing its own watered-down take on land
distribution. The result is many farmers receive too little, too late and are often
motivated to sell whatever land they do receive.

6. Demographics
Fewer and fewer farmers want their children to have the life that they do. As a
result, most of them do everything they can to ensure their children get better-paying
jobs, often in the cities. As a result, the average age of Filipino farmers is 53, as few
younger people are willing to take up farming. This means that productivity per
farmer can be expected to fall, especially for such physically demanding crops as
rice.
This is not an issue unique to the Philippines. Japan’s farmers, for
instance, have an average age of 66. While more automation and technology more
than made up for the labor shortfall in Japan’s case, it is doubtful that the same could
be said of the Philippines, as the foundations for more widespread technology
adoption are still in the process of being built. While these issues are very serious,
there have also been major inroads made towards mitigating or even solving them.
Investment in farms and farmers continues to rise, albeit slowly, and new labor and
cost-efficient methods are continuously being adopted by Filipinos at all points of the
agricultural supply chain.
 But while there is hope for the future, many Filipino rice farmers today will
continue to face these issues — even as they feed a country that does not always
appreciate them.

IV. OBJECTIVES

 To enhance the economic development of all stake-holders.

 To generate employment in order to combat vagaries of unemployment
problem.
 To enhance per capital income to minimize the difference between rural and
urban.
 To improve nutritional standards for betterment of health.

V. AREAS OF CONSIDERATION
Main problems faced by farmers:
-Unavailability of good quality of seeds
Seeds are the basic input or raw material for the farmers to grow crops
-Lack of Modern Equipment
-Poor Irrigation Facilities
-Small and Fragmented Holdings of land
-Dealing with local traders and middleman
-Lack of storage facilities

VI. ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION

Solution of problems faced by farmers.
Agriculture can be generally categorized into the below- mentioned points;
1.By knowing the type and strength of their farmland soil.
2. Getting right seeds.
3. Sowing in the right time.
4. Water supply/monsoon.
5. Harvesting at in right time and.
6. Marketing for good prize.

VII. RECOMMENDATION
 Getting the right seeds
 Crop improvement and the delivery of high-quality seeds and planting
materials of selected varieties to growers is necessary for ensuring improved
crop production and meeting growing environmental challenges. Food
security therefore is dependent on the seed security of farming communities.
 VIII.Action Plan
 To know what action plan we will do, we researched on google. Below are
some questions.

 What is the most important resource for farmers?

 One of the most important agricultural resources is soils. Productive
soils allow farmers to obtain high crop yields with the least expense and
damage to the environment. In order to be successful, farmers need not only
good soils but also need access to open lands suitable for farming.
  What are the goals of farmers?
 There are basically two major farm-operating objectives, profit maximization
on market-oriented farms and household sustenance on subsistence-oriented
farms (Collinson 1983, Ch.
 Why is it important to save farmers?
 Farmers are among our greatest conservation allies. They produce the crops
that help to feed, fuel and clothe a growing world, while caring for the lands
and waters on which their livelihoods depend.

 How can farmers protect the environment?

 Activities that improve soil, plant, and animal health can improve resilience to
climate change. Regenerative agriculture practices such as no-till cultivation,
not burning stubbles, and planting cover crops, can ensure that plants and soil
are in the best condition to tolerate drought and erratic rainfall.

 What is the best way to help farmers?

 Six ways to support local farmers
 Buying produce directly to farmers.
 Join the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
 Eat at farm-to-table restaurants and cafes.
 Spread the word for the farmers.
 Promote local stores that sell local products.
 Purchase materials in local gardening shops

IX. ACTION PLAN FORMAT

Objectives Activities Time Frame Person/s Logistics/ Remarks

Involved Budget
Needed
Farmer can We need to be All the time we Anyone who Depends A good
produce raw strong and can plant can want to farmer is
materials, food or have tenacity vegetables or plant nothing
animal products in working in plants outside more nor
they can areas the field in the house if less than a
such as dairy or planting we have handy man
flowers different types seeds with a
of plants or sense of
crops such as humus
rice,
vegetables
and fruits

X. REFERENCES
Retrieved from:
https://www-philstar-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.philstar.com/business/
2023/01/01/2234498/agriculture-ends-tough-2022-renewed-hopes/amp/?
amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#amp_tf=From
%20%251%24s&aoh=16735224992305&csi=1&referrer=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2F2.zoppoz.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fwww.philstar.com%2Fbusiness
%2F2023%2F01%2F01%2F2234498%2Fagriculture-ends-tough-2022-renewed-hopes
Retrieved from: https://manilastandard.net/spotlight/314202588/6-challenges-faced-by-
rice-farmers-in-the-philippines.html
Retrieved from: https://agri-horti.assam.gov.in/about-us/detail/functions-and-objectives-25

IX. PHOTOS with captions