Agri.Tech.

111
Introduction to Philippine and Asian Agriculture
Unit 4. Agriculture as an Industry, a Science, and a Profession

Unit 1. Growth and Development of

Agriculture

Introduction
It has been said that “Agriculture is the mother of all sciences. “ Before
human beings thought of many things, he has to eat first. Civilization began with
raising crops and raising animals.
Today’s generation has to understand the evolution of agriculture from primitive
methods to advanced technology of raising crops and animals. Farming and
Farming Agriculture
After realizing the dangers of using chemical fertilizers to increase crop
production and different antibiotics and growth hormones for faster animal
growth, humankind realizes the need to go back to old, natural, chemical-free
organic agriculture.
On this premise, it therefore behoves us to trace the historical development of
agriculture.

General Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain where and how world agriculture started

2. Discuss how agriculture started civilization
3. Explain why ancient people shifted from hunting-gathering to cultivation
and domestication
4. Enumerate animals that were first domesticated in ancient times
5. Explain the role of pastoralism in the expansion of empires
6. Discuss why pastoralism gave way to sedentary agriculture
7. Enumerate factors that led to the establishment of urban societies

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TOPIC 4. AGRICULTURE AS AN INDUSTRY, A SCIENCE, AND A

PROFESSSION

Topic Learning Objectives:

At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

1. Explain the role of major crops in the Philippine agriculture industry
2. State the rank status of the Philippines in the global industry of the
specific major crops
3. Identify regions/areas of the Philippines with the highest production of
specific major crops
4. explain the meaning of agriculture as a science, art and business
5. list jobs / occupations that an agriculture graduate can venture

Prior Learning Activation

Write a brief essay on why you chose Agriculture as a profession.

Discussion

Agriculture is an integral part of the socio-economic life of a nation and

the lives of its citizens. It is a diversified industry from production to processing
and manufacturing, distribution and consumption. The advancement of
agriculture involves continuous efforts on research and development. As an
industry and as a field of knowledge, agriculture involves technical human
resources for its advancement.

Agriculture as an Industry: Major Crops

1. Rice

The Philippines is the 8th largest rice producer in the world, accounting
for 2.8% of global rice production. The Philippines was also the world's largest
rice importer in 2010. In 2010, nearly 15.7 million metric tons of palay (pre-
husked rice) were produced. In 2010, palay accounted for 21.86% percent of
gross value added in agriculture and 2.37% of GNP. Self-sufficiency in rice
reached 88.93% in 2015.

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Rice production in the Philippines has grown significantly since the

1950s. Improved varieties of rice developed during the Green Revolution,
including at the International Rice Research Institute based in the Philippines
have improved crop yields. Crop yields have also improved due to increased use
of fertilisers. Average productivity increased from 1.23 metric tons per hectare
in 1961 to 3.59 metric tons per hectare in 2009

Harvest Yields have increased significantly by using foliar fertilizer (Rc

62 -> 27% increase, Rc 80 -> 40% increase, Rc 64 -> 86% increase) based on
PhilRice National Averages.

2. Sugar

There are at least 19 provinces and 11 regions that produce sugarcane in

the Philippines. A range from 360,000 to 390,000 hectares are devoted to
sugarcane production. The largest sugarcane areas are found in the 1)Negros
Island Region, which accounts for 51% of sugarcane areas planted. This is
followed by 2)Mindanao which accounts for 20%; 3)Luzon by 17%; Panay by
07%; and Eastern Visayas by 04%. It is estimated that as of 2012, the industry
provides direct employment to 700,000 sugarcane workers spread across 19
sugar producing provinces.

Sugar growing in the Philippines pre-dates colonial Spanish contact.

Sugar became the most important agricultural export of the Philippines between
the late eighteenth century and the mid-1970s. During the 1950s and 60s, more
than 20 percent income of Philippine exports came from the sugar industry.
Between 1913 and 1974, the Philippines sugar industry enjoyed favoured terms
of trade with the US, with special access to the protected and subsidized the
American sugar market.

3. Coconuts

Coconuts plays an important role in the national economy of the

Philippines. According to figures published in December 2015 by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, it is the world's largest producer
of coconuts, producing 19,500,000 tonnes in 2015. Production in the Philippines
is generally concentrated in medium-sized farms. There are 3.5 million hectares
dedicated to coconut production in the Philippines, which accounts for 25 per
cent of total agricultural land in the country. In 1989, it was estimated that
between 25 percent and 33 percent of the population was at least partly
dependent on coconuts for their livelihood. Historically, the 1)Southern Tagalog
and Bicol regions of Luzon and the 2)Eastern Visayas were the centers of
coconut production. In the 1980s, 3)Western Mindanao and Southern Mindanao
also became important coconut-growing regions.

4. Abaca

According to the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, the

Philippines provided 87.4% of the world's abaca in 2014, earning the
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Philippines US$111.33 million. The demand is still greater than the supply. The
remainder came from Ecuador (12.5%) and Costa Rica (0.1%). The 1)Bicol
region in the Philippines produced 27,885 metric tons of abaca in 2014, the
largest of any Philippine region. The Philippine Rural Development Program
(PRDP) and the Department of Agriculture reported that in 2009-2013, Bicol
Region had 39% share of Philippine abaca production while overwhelming 92%
comes from Catanduanes Island. 2)Eastern Visayas, the second largest producer
had 24% and the 3)Davao Region, the third largest producer had 11% of the
total production. Around 42 percent of the total abaca fiber shipments from the
Philippines went to the United Kingdom in 2014, making it the top importer.
Germany imported 37.1 percent abaca pulp from the Philippines, importing
around 7,755 metric tons (MT). Sales of abaca cordage surged 20 percent in
2014 to a total of 5,093 MT from 4,240 MT, with the United States holding
around 68 percent of the market.

5. Fruits

The Philippines is the world's third largest producer of pineapples,

producing more than 2.4 million of tones in 2015. The Philippines was in the
top three banana producing countries in 2010, including India and China. Davao
and Mindanao contribute heavily to the total national banana crop. Mangoes are
the third most important fruit crop of the country based on export volume and
value next to bananas and pineapples.

6. Corn

Corn is the second most important crop in the Philippines. 600,000 farm
households are employed in different businesses in the corn value chain. As of
2012, around 2.594 Million ha of land is under corn cultivation and the total
production is 7.408 million metric ton (MMT).

7. Rubber

There are an estimated 458,000 families dependent upon the cultivation

of rubber trees. Rubber is mainly planted in Mindanao, with some plantings in
Luzon and the Visayas. As of 2013, the total rubber production is 111,204 tons.

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BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS DATA

Volume of Production by Region
UNIT: Metric Tons
Source: Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Website
COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE
ABACA CACAO CASHEW COCONUT COFFEE Arabica Excelsa Liberica Robusta COTTON
NCR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CAR 13.07 21.12 1.2 1078.78 5464.82 548.34 84.05 16.56 4815.87 0
ILOCOS REGION 0 39.19 717.7 40482.32 84.14 23.71 15.94 0 44.49 4.08
CAGAYAN VALLEY 0 69.21 29.59 70426.45 766.95 151.26 104.18 6.69 504.82 0
CENTRAL LUZON 113.25 44.8 5968.47 79360.22 1705.3 5.37 34.97 3.26 1661.7 0
CALABARZON 15.07 19.46 44.39 1434805.72 5237.66 65.48 586.87 99.16 4486.16 0
MIMAROPA 120.98 65.61 138873.91 779134.54 183.04 4.87 33.19 20.48 124.5 0
BICOL REGION 24077.96 34.21 3.99 1255507.48 325.49 75.88 1.15 4.12 244.34 0
WESTERN VISAYAS 1741.29 62.56 546.44 470562.72 4938.47 848.77 1.47 155.95 3932.28 21.44
CENTRAL VISAYAS 414.57 57.05 35.98 458992.52 235.13 27.8 0 0.8 206.53 3.47
EASTERN VISAYAS 15697.42 95.86 0 1623585.95 128.33 41.49 26.43 7.85 52.56 0
ZAMBOANGA
PENINSULA 589..54 103.51 5.55 1743791.81 961.08 404.99 108.94 4.3 442.85 0
NORTHERN
MINDANAO 2243.88 196.31 10.08 1816577.68 5334.81 379.4 297.57 0 4657.84 0
DAVAO REGION 7268.63 3844.3 39.39 2275979.56 12388.99 2384.85 1601.73 81.62 8320.79 0
SOCCSKSARGEN 953.65 79.1 9.38 1040610.03 28891.37 11984.53 612.61 2.56 16291.67 26.35
CARAGA 5827.89 57.84 1.6 834917.16 1497.16 0 10.1 0 1487.06 0
ARMM 4974.44 85.46 0 1327298.98 10491.17 1646.79 1397.63 159.9 7286.84 0

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BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS DATA

Volume of Production by Region
UNIT: Metric Tons
Source: Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Website
OIL PILI TOBACCO TOBACCO
PALM NUT RUBBER SUGARCANE TOBACCO (Native) (Virginia) CHRYSANTHEMUM GLADIOLA ORCHIDS ROSES
NCR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CAR 0 0 0 12895.22 963.53 10.1 944.32 1459.59 739.64 0 1475.7
ILOCOS REGION 0 0 0 19320.45 37111.44 4075.73 27267.38 0.46 0 109.26 19.46
CAGAYAN
VALLEY 0 0 0 491468.09 12889.27 5518.66 16.75 17.79 21.54 66.51 42.46
CENTRAL
LUZON 0 0 0 996969.63 82.78 0 0 0 0 66.16 37.06
CALABARZON 0 62.53 72.36 1783985.43 0 0 0 41.26 46.25 97.89 41.9
MIMAROPA 14283.27 1.02 59.26 0 1539.6 1.6 0 0 0 41.59 6.01
BICOL REGION 0 7080.93 0 259311.43 0 0 0 56.65 5.41 355.44 11.74
WESTERN
VISAYAS 0 83.91 0 13886059.8 162.73 162.73 0 12.48 4.64 146.92 35.26
CENTRAL
VISAYAS 34405.98 0.33 9.16 2054460 9.57 9.1 0.47 684.94 96.1 18.04 236.71
EASTERN
VISAYAS 0 1004.46 0 318296.69 12.55 12.55 0 10.01 1.58 35.7 28.96
ZAMBOANGA
PENINSULA 0 0 195357.03 294.7 16.34 15.94 0 33.04 0.89 40.79 44.01
NORTHERN
MINDANAO 35180 3.21 11261 3496229.75 935.6 919.1 16.5 62.83 38.38 97.36 282.71
DAVAO REGION 2974.99 5.68 8240.8 438231.38 17.41 17.41 0 166.73 57.79 177.05 93.7
SOCCSKSARGEN 143673.5 0.8 172953.83 735087.45 36.94 36.94 0 50.3 0.97 38.68 66.41
CARAGA 136370.7 0 10030.83 0.75 1.38 1.38 0 3.32 0.47 10.52 13.27
ARMM 106527.7 0 46833.34 92209.41 24.25 24.25 0 1.8 0 10.65 2.5

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BURAEU OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS DATA

Volume of Production by Region
UNIT: Metric Tons
Source: Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Website

BANANA BANANA BANANA MANGO

BANANA Cavendish Lakatan Saba CALAMANSI DURIAN LANZONES MANDARIN MANGO Carabao
NCR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CAR 27194.63 0 4829.33 9552.81 417.78 0 38.5 845.54 3421.81 3283.32
ILOCOS REGION 43478.88 0 944.27 21451.93 3437.02 0 2.59 11.94 260524 221047
CAGAYAN VALLEY 360395.5 211.67 40642.86 255377.2 7055.13 42.03 47.83 6821.6 47782.39 36998.97
CENTRAL LUZON 58917.15 0 13169.07 29128.29 10396.38 2.25 11.19 725.2 70500.44 56565.55
CALABARZON 117974 941.5 8471.78 77558.71 13855.33 52.02 1675.14 4170.07 54291.28 36265.57
MIMAROPA 158671.4 0 29176.3 98915.44 88747.51 15.8 160.68 376.53 10161.65 6552.73
BICOL REGION 83352.58 0 3926.88 43196.36 21149 0 8.07 843.96 1532.35 263.53
WESTERN VISAYAS 332761.6 1487.98 19696.11 203869.7 5289.92 151.36 471.3 53.56 47948.54 43994.22
CENTRAL VISAYAS 190699.6 1292.91 17510.61 123176.1 1092.61 6.5 78.27 52.44 71583.58 65635.06
EASTERN VISAYAS 259095.4 151.33 14621.95 169426.8 2224.18 9.69 158.39 28.5 847.52 473.73
ZAMBOANGA
PENINSULA 259188.2 599.82 55743.73 138878.3 6988.7 558.46 83.98 1.41 92445.04 74043.31
NORTHERN MINDANAO 1735977 1120311 167312.6 295655.7 1341.31 2164.55 5519.14 71.01 44694.58 41756.39
DAVAO REGION 3164641 2392320 203899.4 487443.1 8135.73 70063.66 581.1 1216.05 32171.54 26920.61
SOCCSKSARGEN 1185492 520618.2 229323.5 356727.4 7364.99 4795.57 456.9 48.04 55051.89 43896.34
CARAGA 208303.2 45252.67 18283.02 101025.4 4194.08 1483.1 195.21 9.68 15562.1 12044.86
ARMM 459606 146876.1 102442.7 145612.7 1406.61 11866.59 25718.58 4.3 7680.2 2156.86

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AGRICULTURE AS A SCIENCE

The role of science and technology in the quest for the best method of
improving the yield of crops, protecting crops against diseases and pest, making
livestock healthy all the time, designing the best method of crops storage and even
helping in predicting the climate conducive for agricultural practice cannot be over
emphasized. It is through science and research that better methods of improving the
yield of crops are ensured.

How Science and Technology is Impacting the Agricultural Sector

Agriculture has a history of using technology to improve and enhance crop

production. It revolutionized how agriculturists run their business and it is also
changing the face of the rural communities. For a long time now, agriculture has
been seen as a dirty job and has been left for rural communities but with the impact
of technology in agriculture, that notion is changing.There are several ways in
which the agricultural industry has been impacted by science and technology.

1. Mechanization
One of the first innovations that had a great impact on the sector was the
introduction of machines on the farms. Before this innovation, tasks on the farm
were performed solely using hands. Mechanization was a major change that
helped the agricultural sector.

2. Transportation
Transportation was a major challenge for farmers. Transporting the farm
produce was quite expensive and because of the distance to market, most of the
produce often spoils before it reaches the consumer thereby resulting in a great
loss for the farmer.
The invention of railroads played a pivotal role to help resolve this
challenge. With the expansion of railroad systems, farm produce could now be
transported much faster and at a lesser cost.
This method helped increase the farmer’s ROI. The invention of the
refrigerated rail cars also revolutionized the industry by allowing farmers to
quickly deliver perishable products like meats using refrigerated vehicles.
This machinery not only makes the delivery faster but also helps to preserve
the product by keeping it in a cool environment. Other modes of transportation
like ships, trucks, barges, and so on were also invented to transport farm products
from the farm to the market.
The technological advancement in transportation helped to reduce the cost
of delivery, open new markets, and ultimately improved productivity and
increase efficiency in the agricultural sector.

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3. Increased yield
For a long time, farmers depended on agricultural chemicals like herbicides
and pesticides to control weeds, reduce pest damages, and increase yield. All these
were discovered through scientific research. Also, scientist underwent some
experiment and have developed new biotechnological innovations which can be
used to create genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

4. Using crops as energy

Farmers had always produced crops as food and fiber. But, in recent times,
scientists discovered that some crops can be used as a source of energy.

AGRICULTURE AS A PROFESSION

While agriculture remains as the backbone of the country’s economy, it is

ironically regarded as an ailing profession. All other specialized fields which
majority emanate from or based on agriculture have prospered and are believed to
have greatly contributed to the economy’s growth.

But our Philippine government believed otherwise –and so are we. The
government’s intent to professionalize agriculture education in this concrete move
to throw light on the wrongly perceived profession. Moreover, this move will bring
the agriculture profession in the forefront as we continue to support the goals of the
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 authored by Edgardo J.
Angara. This act prescribing urgent related measure to modernize the agriculture
and fisheries sectors of the country in order to enhance their profitability, and
prepare said sectors for the challenges of globalization through an adequate,
focused and rational delivery of necessary support services, appropriating funds
therefore and for other purposes.

The goals of the national economy are a more equitable distribution of

opportunities, income and wealth; a sustainable increase in the amount of goods
and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people: and an expanding
productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the
underprivileged.

The State shall promote industrialization and full employment based on

sound agricultural development and agrarian reform, through industries that make
full and efficient use of human and natural resources, and which are competitive in
both domestic and foreign markets. In pursuit of these goals, all sectors of the
economy and all regions of the country shall be given optimum opportunity to
develop. Private enterprises, including corporation, cooperatives, and similar
collective organizations, shall be encouraged to broaden the base of their
ownership.

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Thus it is hereby declared the policy of the State to enable those who belong
to the agriculture and fisheries sectors to participate and share in the fruits of
development and growth in a manner that utilizes the nation's resources in the most
efficient and sustainable way possible by establishing a more equitable access to
assets, income, basic and support services and infrastructure.

The State shall promote food security, including sufficiency in our staple
food namely rice and white corn. The production of rice and white corn shall be
optimized to meet our local consumption and shall be given adequate support by
the State.

The State shall adopt the market approach in assisting the agriculture and
fisheries sectors while recognizing the contribution of said sectors to food security,
environmental protection, and balanced urban and rural development, without
neglecting the welfare of the consumers, especially the lower income groups. The
State shall promote market-oriented policies in agricultural production to encourage
farmers to shift to more profitable crops.

The State shall empower the agriculture and fisheries sectors to develop and sustain
themselves. Toward this end, the State shall ensure the development of the
agriculture and fisheries sectors in accordance with the following principles:

1. Poverty Alleviation and Social Equity - The State shall ensure that the poorer
sectors of society have equitable access to resources, income opportunities,
basic and support services and infrastructure especially in areas where
productivity is low as a means of improving their quality of life compared with
other sectors of society.

2. Food Security - The State assure the availability adequacy, accessibility and
affordability of food supplies to all times;

3. Rational Use of Resources - The State shall adopt a rational approach in the
allocation of public investment in agriculture and fisheries in order to assure
efficiency and effectiveness in the use of scarce resources and thus obtain
optimal returns on its investment;

4. Global Competitiveness - The State shall enhance the competitiveness of the

agriculture and fisheries sectors in both domestic and foreign market;

5. Sustainable Development - The State shall promote development that is

complete with the preservation of the ecosystem in areas where agriculture and
fisheries are carried. The State should exert care and judicious use of the
country's natural resources in order to attain long-term sustainability;

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6. People Empowerment - The State shall promote people empowerment by

enabling all citizens through direct participation or through their duly elected
chosen or designated representatives the opportunity to participate in policy
formulation and decision-making by establishing the appropriate mechanisms
and by giving them access to information; and

7. Protection from Unfair Competition - The State shall protect small farmers
and fisher folk from unfair competition such as monopolistic and oligopolistic
practices by promoting a policy environment that provides them priority access
to credit and strengthened cooperative-based marketing system.

Objectives of AFMA

This Act shall have the following objectives:

1. To modernize the agriculture and fisheries sectors by transforming these

sectors from a resource-based to a technology-based industry;
2. To enhance profits and incomes in the agriculture and fisheries sectors
particularly the small farmers and fisherfolk, by ensuring equitable access to
assets, resources and services, and promoting higher-value crops, value-added
processing, agribusiness activities, and agro-industrialization;
3. To ensure the accessibility, availability and stable supply of food to all at all
times;
4. To encourage horizontal and vertical integration, consolidation and expansion
of agriculture and fisheries activities, groups, functions and other services
through the organization of cooperatives, farmers and fisher folk’s
associations, corporations, nucleus estates, and consolidated farms and to
enable these entities to benefit from economies of scale, afford them a stronger
negotiating position, purse more focused, efficient and appropriate research
and development efforts and enable them to hire professional managers;
5. To promote people empowerment by strengthening people's organizations,
cooperatives and NGOs and by establishing and improving mechanisms and
processes for their participation in government decision making and
implementation;
6. To pursue a market-driven approach to enhance the comparative advantage of
our agriculture and fisheries sectors in the world market;
7. To induce the agriculture and fisheries sectors to ascend continuously the
value-added ladder by subjecting their traditional or new products to further
processing in order to minimize the marketing of raw, unfinished or
unprocessed products;
8. To adopt policies that will promote industry dispersal and rural
industrialization by providing incentives to local and foreign investors to
establish industries that have backward linkages to the country's agriculture
and fisheries resource base;

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9. To provide social and economic adjustment measures that increase

productivity and improve market efficiency while ensuring the protection and
preservation of the environment and equity for small farmers and fisherfolk;
and
10. To improve the quality of life of all sector.

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Unit 1. Growth and Development of Agriculture

Reflection
Did you learn what you expected to learn? If yes, how might you use what you
learned in the future in your life or profession? Write a journal addressing these
questions.

References
https://www.economicsdiscussion.net/economic-development/role-of-agriculture-
in-the-economic-development-of-a-country/4652

http://willowmoonfarm.com/impact-of-science-and-technology-in-agriculture/

http://AGRI%2011%20MODULE/thetidenewsonline.com

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Unit 1. Growth and Development of Agriculture

UNIT SUMMARY

From gathering fruits and hunting animals from the wild, ancient people
learned to plant and domesticate animals. The domestication of animals
included growing animals for food, animals like cattle and horses were trained
not only for farm work but also for mobility. The increased mobility led to
pastoralism which enabled some societies to conquer neighboring territories and
established vast empires. But eventually, pastoralism gave way to sedentary
agriculture due to improvements in farming and increase in food production for
greater population. The increased food production allowed non-farming
segments of society to engage in other concerns such as education, arts and
culture, handicrafts, healthcare and others, which led to the establishment of
organized cities, the birth of industrial revolution, and advancement of
civilization until today.
Philippine agriculture started long before the coming of the first foreign
colonizers, the Spaniards. It was difficult for farmers during the Spanish
occupation because Spanish friars controlled wide tracts of land and they
produce crops to supply Spanish industries. The American occupation improved
Philippine agriculture, instilling in the Filipino minds the dignity of labor and
of farming. It was during the American regime that the first several agricultural
schools and colleges were established.
Philippine agriculture has come a long way since the post-second world
war. But at present it faces many concerns and challenges. Agriculture remains
of prime importance in the socio-economic development of any nation. A great
portion of the population especially in the rural areas depend on agriculture for
survival. But agriculture continues to face challenges as a major role player for
progress. While the arable land is decreasing due to changes in land use such
as for residential and industrial uses, at the same time there is a need to produce
more food for the skyrocketing population. Added to these are the problems on
destructive natural and man-made disasters and climate change.

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