Factors affecting the Livelihood of Tenant Farmers

during COVID-19 Pandemic

A Paper

Presented to the Faculty of the Institute of Management

Bulacan Agricultural College

San Ildefonso, Bulacan

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Course

Agribusiness Research (AGBUS 305)

MIRACLE DE JESUS

GABRIEL RAPHAEL S. VILLACORTE

ALVIN G. DELA CRUZ

JOHNREY DELA CRUZ

VINCENT JOSEPH C. GERONIMO

VINHZ DELA CRUZ

November 2021
 CHAPER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. Most people with

COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people can become severely ill. Although

most people with COVID-19 get better within weeks of illness, some people

experience post-COVID conditions. Post-COVID conditions are a wide range of new,

returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience more than four weeks

after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Older people and those

who have certain underlying medical conditions are more likely to get severely ill

from COVID-19. Vaccines against COVID-19 are safe and effective.

Mobility restrictions set in place in early 2020 to stem the spread of COVID-19,

the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), have disrupted

economies worldwide, disproportionately affecting populations already vulnerable to

poverty and malnutrition (Laborde, Martin, & Vos, 2020). Since more than two thirds

of the world’s poor depend on agriculture for income (Castaneda et al., 2016), it is

important to understand how policies implemented to prevent a further spread of the

disease affect tenant farmers’ livelihoods. As governments seek to alleviate the

welfare implications of disrupted agricultural value chains, early lessons on the effects

of a lockdown, and insights on how this can vary by context, can inform policy for

recovery and improve preparedness for future calamities.

 Farmers are used to adapting to circumstances, whether it’s droughts, floods or

infestations of pests. Overcoming unpredictable hurdles goes with the job, but the

pandemic is bringing a range of new challenges to growing the food people depend

upon. These challenges make it clear that more must be done to enhance the resilience

of our food system. To understand these obstacles, we spoke to farmers, growers,

producers and industry figures around the world to learn how they are adapting in this

unprecedented time.

Almost 60 percent of the irrigated area is cultivated by medium-scale tenant

farmers relying on short-term rental contracts. It seems that gig economies

characterized by flexible contract arrangements implemented by outside contractors,

which are increasingly fueling 2sophisticated sectors in developed countries, are

important in these commercial agrarian settings in Africa as well. We further find that

the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant disruptions of this model, as seen by

more limited access to services and the unavailability or high price increases in factor

markets, especially for labor. We further note large but heterogenous price changes in

output markets.

The pandemic seems especially to have had important effects on the medium-

scale tenant farmers as they depend relatively more than smallholders on outside

inputs, labor markets, and these gig economies. However, on the other hand, they

benefit more than smallholders from favorable output markets for vegetables.
Objectives of the Study

This study aims to determine the Factors affecting the livelihood of Tenant

Farmers during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Specifically, the study aimed to:

1. Determine the socio-demographic profile of the tenant farmers in terms of:

1.1. Age

1.2. Sex

1.3. Civil status

1.4. Educational attainment

1.5. Years working on that occupation &

1.6. Income

2. Determine the factors affecting the tenant farmers during pandemic in terms of:

2.1 Availability of landholder who leases their farmlands

2.2 Way of tenancy the landholder wants

2.3 Capability of the tenant to finance the expenses of farming

2.4 The rate of rent &

2.5 Willingness to farm during these circumstances

3. To identify issues and challenges faced by tenant farmers and how these issues

affected their lives in the context of Covid19 Pandemic.

Hypothesis of the Study

The Covid-19 Pandemic affected the livelihood of tenant farmers in San

Ildefonso, Bulacan.
Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study focuses on the factors affecting the livelihood of Tenant Farmers

during COVID-19 Pandemic. The study will be observed at San Ildefonso Bulacan.

The respondents of the study will be selected in San Ildefonso Bulacan, to gather the

necessary data needed for the analysis and interpretation.

Definition of Terms

The terms below are defined to clearly clarify the manner they are referred to and

used operationally terms in the study.

Covid-19. This refers to an acute respiratory illness in humans caused by

coronavirus, capable of producing severe symptoms and in some cases death,

especially in older people and those with underlying health conditions. It was

originally identified in China in 2019 and became pandemic in 2020.

Farmlands. This refers to the land used for farming.

Landholder. This refers to a person, natural or juridical, who, either as owner,

lessee, usufructuary, or legal possessor, lets or grants to another the use or cultivation

of his land for a consideration either in shares under the share tenancy system, or a

price certain or ascertainable under the leasehold tenancy system.

Livelihood. This refers to the means of securing the necessities of life.

Tenancy. This refers to possession of land or property as a tenant.

Tenant Farmer. This refers to a person who, himself and with the aid available

from within his immediate farm household, cultivates the land belonging to, or
possessed by, another, with the latter's consent for purposes of production, sharing the

produce with the landholder

under the share tenancy system, or paying to the landholder a price certain or

ascertainable in produce or in money or both, under the leasehold tenancy system.

Pandemic. This refers to an outbreak of infectious disease that occurs over a

wide geographical area and that is of high prevalence, generally affecting a significant

proportion of the world’s population, usually over the course of several months.
 CHAPTER II

RELATED OF LITERATURE

This literature is relevant to the research it shows the factors affecting the

livelihood of tenant farmers and the effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Likewise, this part will provide further information and understanding of the impact

of COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihood of tenant farmers during a pandemic.

Factors affecting the livelihood of Tenant Farmers

Tenant Farmers

According to Dr. Andrew McMichael (2021) a tenant farmer is one who resides

on land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in

which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and

management, while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying

amounts of capital and management. Depending on the contract, tenants can make

payments to the owner either of a fixed portion of the product, in cash or in a

combination. The rights the tenant has over the land, the form, and measures of

payment varies across systems (geographically and chronologically). In some

systems, the tenant could be evicted at whim (tenancy at will); in others, the

landowner and tenant sign a contract for a fixed number of years (tenancy for years or

indenture).

Tenancy

According to Tsutomu Takigawa (2021) the commonest form of tenancy in the

Philippines is share-tenancy system which is called kasama. The cash tenancy system
inquilinato is found as well in some places in Central Luzon and Visayas. In the latter

system, the tenants or inquilinos pay a certain amount of farm-rent, in cash or kind,

called canon, to their landlords. It is uncommon for a big absentee landlord to lease

his land to several inquilinos, so that he is not bothered with the trouble of supervising

the cultivation. And these inquilinos, in turn, often sublet their land to several kasama

for crop-sharing.

Landowners seek to eject agricultural tenants

According to Persida Acosta (2021) a tenant in an agricultural land enjoys

security of tenure. This security of tenure entitles the tenants continuous enjoyment of

their landholding even if the same has been sold or alienated and even upon death of

the landowner. In fact, the death or incapacity of the tenant shall transfer the tenancy

right thereof to one of the members of his immediate farm household who is related to

him within the second degree of consanguinity (Section 3, Republic Act (R.A.) No.

2263 entitled “An Act Amending Certain Section of Republic Act Numbered One

Thousand One Hundred Ninety-Nine, Otherwise Known as the Agricultural Tenancy

Act of the Philippines”). Nevertheless, a tenant may be dispossessed of his

landholding if he has committed any of the grounds mentioned under R.A. No. 1199

otherwise known as “Agricultural Tenancy Act of the Philippines” as amended by

R.A. No. 2263. One of the sufficient grounds mentioned therein in dispossessing a

tenant is his failure to pay the agreed rental or to deliver the landholder’s share which

is not caused by a fortuitous event or force majeure (Section 50, R.A. No. 1199).

How Farmers Are Keeping Us Fed through the Global Crisis

 According to Dave Puglia (2020) in the space of a few weeks, life around the

globe has been upended in the wake of COVID-19. Industries of all kinds have been

forced to rapidly change how they work, and agriculture is no different. “We are very

concerned about the health of our workforce, and our members have been taking steps

to keep workers informed and increase hygiene, sanitation and distancing wherever

we can,” explains Puglia. However, for certain crops these measures are just not

possible, and some farmers are simply unable to harvest their fields or load produce

for transport. The result is substantial food and financial losses. Western Growers is

already projecting losses among its members in the fresh produce sector alone as high

as $5 billion.

COVID-19 disruption on smallholder farmers

According to Bart Minten (2020) supporting that “quiet revolution” has been an

inflow of migrant laborers – paid through daily, monthly, or piecemeal contracts, with

few employment benefits attached to them – and a gig economy as widely-used

contractors organize, among others, mechanized land preparation, the digging of wells

and ponds, seedling propagation, and loading of trucks. Almost 60 percent of the

irrigated area is cultivated by medium-scale tenant farmers relying on short-term

rental contracts. It seems that gig economies characterized by flexible contract

arrangements implemented by outside contractors, which are increasingly fueling

sophisticated sectors in developed countries, are important in these commercial

agrarian settings in Africa as well. We further find that the COVID-19 pandemic has

led to significant disruptions of this model, as seen by more limited access to services

and the unavailability or high price increases in factor markets, especially for labor.

We further note large but heterogenous price changes in output markets. The
pandemic seems especially to have had important effects on the medium-scale tenant

farmers as they depend relatively more than smallholders on outside inputs, labor

markets, and these gig economies. However, on the other hand, they benefit more

than smallholders from favorable output markets for vegetables.

Agriculture in Isolation

According to Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel (2020) there are also mental health challenges

for farmers and farm workers. Long periods of separation in remote areas are not

uncommon in farming, but the uncertainty about when travel restrictions will be eased

creates a new set of problems for isolated workforces. There are also more modern

drawbacks to social distancing orders. Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel grows grains, legumes

and oilseeds on her farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, that sits 17 miles from the nearest

town. “We have two daughters, who are 13 and 11, and fortunately for us we are very

sheltered from the pandemic,” says Jolly-Nagel. “We really wouldn’t want to be

anywhere else during an event like this.” However, while having her daughters there

means two extra pairs of hands to help around the farm, it also means their home is

now doubling as a classroom. Rural communities around the world often suffer from

poor connectivity and that creates a real problem for modern farmers. “We had a

terrible internet service before coronavirus, but now we have an increased need to use

it for our daughters to do their schoolwork,” says Jolly-Nagel. “It sounds like I’m

complaining about not being able to watch Netflix, but it’s a challenge just to conduct

business.”

How small farmers cope with Covid1

 According to Dorothy Tembo (2020) COVID-19 pandemic highlights that the

global food supply is built on the shoulders of farmers and agricultural workers.

Without them, the world would struggle to overcome the pandemic. Small producers,

who must grapple with the triple shock of sanitary, environmental and economic

challenges, are the most vulnerable. The global pandemic has not initiated a crisis for

them rather, it has simply deepened existing ones. This report gathers insights into

how farmers are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. It is based on the International

Trade Centre’s Alliances for Action partners from food value chains in sub-Saharan

Africa, the Caribbean, Central and Latin America, and Europe. Governments across

the globe have imposed lockdowns and regulatory measures and curbed travel to

contain the spread of the virus. For small farmers in developing countries, this has

meant threats to health and food security, rising transport and production costs, huge

logistical bottlenecks, input ruptures, drops (and sometimes increases) in demand, and

uncertain cash flow and access to finance.

Impacts of a national lockdown on smallholder farmers’ income and food security

According to F. Ceballos (2020) in early 2020, the unprecedented nature of

COVID-19 prompted India, among many other countries, to put in place stark

measures to stem the virus’ spread and the cost of human lives. We analyze data from

phone-based surveys on disruptions to agricultural production and food security,

administered with 1515 smallholder producers in the states of Haryana and Odisha.

We find substantial heterogeneity in how the lockdown affected farmers in these two

states, which is likely related to existing structural differences in market infrastructure

and to differences in state-specific COVID-related policies. In Odisha, where

mechanization is limited, farmers spent more on labor to harvest their crops, and
distress selling was more prevalent due to the absence of a well-functioning

procurement system for their crops. In Haryana, preexisting market infrastructure

allowed the state to sustain procurement at stable prices, limiting impacts on

smallholder production. As consumers, farmers in Haryana faced more disruptions

than those in Odisha, due to reduced availability of foods in the markets, whereas

farmers in Odisha benefited from more diverse cropping patterns and increased local

supply of foods following transport restrictions.

 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter will be dealing with the methodology to be used in the study. It is

composed of research design, gathering data techniques, as well as sampling

procedures and the data analysis scheme that is important in conducting the whole

study.

Research Design

This study will use quantitative research design using quasi experimental research

that tries to know the factors that affects the livelihood of Tenant Farmers this time of

pandemic. In this study, the researchers will used experimental research to determine

the effectiveness of the given dependent and independent variables.

Framework of the Study

From the reviews the most important factors that affect the livelihood of tenant

farmers during Covid-19 pandemic are presented in the figure 1 below. The left frame

is the independent variable which can be factors that affect the livelihood of tenant

farmers during Covid-19 pandemic, the right frame is the dependent variable which is

livelihood of tenant farmers during Covid-19 pandemic.

Independent variables Depedent variables

availability of farmlands livelihood

pandemic cultivation

rate of rent financial

expenses of farming capability to farm

Figure 1.
Data Gathering Technique

The researcher will use survey questionnaire as its tool for gathering data needed

for this study. The survey questionnaire consisted of factors that may affect the

livelihood of Tenant Farmers form San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

Sampling Procedures

The sampling technique to be utilized in this study is purposive sampling. Given

the nature of the research, it is the most appropriate sampling technique because it

allows researchers to use their own judgment when selecting members of the

population to participate in their surveys. The samples for the study will be gathered

in a way that does not give all individuals in the population equal chances of being

chosen. The target population in this study are only the tenant farmers in San

Ildefonso, Bulacan, who have been affected by COVID-19 pandemic. There is a total

of 50 respondents in this study.

Data Analysis Scheme

Later the information has been gotten, it will be arranged and put into classes.

There will be some covering classifications that difference and supplement the others.

The analysts will continue to be examining information from an agent populace's

example, wherein inferential measurements are utilized by the specialists to make

expectations about a bigger populace. Especially, the specialists will break down the

information through the cross-classification technique. Rather than clarifying a

solitary variable, this high-level investigation approach will be used to feature the

connection between various factors. It's every now and again utilized by socialistic
who need to comprehend the connection between factors however don't have any

desire to use outright numbers.

In this review, we will relate the information accumulated to have a more

extensive knowledge and to have the option to content a more significant end. The

cross-classification will assist the specialists with plainly distinguishing the

connection among factors being concentrated, for example, the deals previously and

during the pandemic, the difficulties they confronted, and the systems they utilized to

moderate the impacts of the pandemic on the development of their organizations. The

table to be introduced will contain the recurrence counts and rates of the responses of

the respondents.
 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

Dear Respondents:

This survey on the Factors affecting the livelihood of Tenant Farmers during COVID-19 Pandemic.
Please provide your sincere and honest answer. Your evaluation is assured to be treated with high

confidentiality.

Thank you very much!

I. PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS

a. Name (Optional): ____________________________

b. Age: _____________________________________

c. C. Gende; Male ______ Female ____

d. Educational Attainment __________ College Graduate _______

e. College Undergraduate _____ High School Graduate _____ Elementary Graduate _____

f. Years being a tenant farmers

_____ 1 to 3 years

_____ 4 to 6 years

_____ 7 to 10 years

_____ 10 years and more

Direction. Put a check on the item of your choice inside the column provided on the right. Use the

response scale below Response Scale:

Yes- if you agree on the statement

No- if you disagree on the statement

Kindly answer yes or no by putting check inside the box Yes (oo) No (hindi)

Did Covid-19 pandemic affect your livelihood?

(Tagalog - Naapektuhan ba ng Covid-19 pandemic ang iyong

kabuhayan?)

Is Covid-19 affect your psychological and emotional aspect as a

tenant farmer?

(Tagalog - Nakakaapekto ba ang Covid-19 sa iyong sikolohikal

at emosyonal na aspeto bilang nangungupahan na
magsasaka?)

Did Covid-19 pandemic affect the rate of rent of farmlands?

(Tagalog - Naapektuhan ba ng Covid-19 pandemic ang bayad ng

upa sa mga lupang sakahan?)

Did Covid-19 pandemic affect the numbers of landlords willing to

rent their farmland?

(Tagalog - Naapektuhan ba ng pandemya ng Covid-19 ang bilang

ng mga maylupa na handang magpaupa ng kanilang lupang
sakahan?)
Did Covid-19 pandemic affect the prices of agricultural products

needed for farming?

(Tagalog - Naapektuhan ba ng Covid-19 pandemic ang presyo ng

mga produktong agrikultural na kailangan para sa pagsasaka?)

Are you still capable of paying the rent during the Covid-19

pandemic?

(Tagalog - May kakayahan ka pa bang magbayad ng renta sa

panahon ng pandemya ng Covid-19?)

Are you still willing to farm during these circumstances?

(Tagalog - Handa ka pa bang magsasaka sa mga ganitong

pagkakataon?)

Did Covid-19 pandemic affect the income of tenant farmers?

(Tagalog - Naapektuhan ba ng Covid-19 pandemic ang kita ng

mga tenant farmer?
During the Covid-19 pandemic as a tenant farmer are you able to

sustain your family needs?

(Tagalog - Sa panahon ng pandemya ng Covid-19 bilang

nangungupahan na magsasaka ginagawa mo bang itaguyod
ang mga pangangailangan ng iyong pamilya?)

During the Covid-19 pandemic, as a tenant farmer did you

receive financial assistance and support from NGO or LGU?

(Tagalog - Sa panahon ng pandemya ng Covid-19, bilang isang

tenant farmer nakatanggap ka ba ng tulong pinansyal at suporta
mula sa NGO o LGU?)