Rural Diversification

(Tomonoy)

Introduction

Rural diversification helps to broaden the economic activity of rural areas, providing

opportunity and creating a more balanced and stable economy. Ecosystems with

greater diversity are usually more stable: they withstand disturbances and can recover

better than less diverse systems. The more diverse the plants, animals and soil-borne

organisms that inhabit a farming system, the more diverse the populations of pest-

fighting beneficial organisms a farm can support.

Diversification is a risk-reduction strategy used by businesses to help expand into new

markets and industries and achieve greater profitability. This can be attained by

diversifying new products and services in new markets, targeting new customers and

increasing profitability. The primary goal of diversification is to limit loss and volatility,

but that's not its sole benefit. Diversification also helps maximize potential returns over

the long term. No one can predict the future.

BRIEF HISTORY TOMONOY

Tomonoy is one of the barangays of Moalboal in the island province of Cebu that’s

within Region VII in the central Visayas area. Its population as determined by the 2020

Census was 2,634. This represented 7.13% of the total population of Moalboal.

Tomonoy shares a common border with the following barangay(s): Poblacion West,

Moalboal, Cebu, Balabagon, Moalboal, Cebu, Bugho, Moalboal, Cebu, Agbalanga,

Moalboal, Cebu. Tomonoy is rich with Rice and having a water Dam for the Rice

Field. Rice field produces and give benefits to many because many people in our

community produce their own rice daily not buying in the market because of their

farm. Tomonoy is known for many cave that under discover by many but

Tomonoyanons know because long time ago tomonoy used to be the place for the

soldiers to hide during the American and Japanese war.

The agricultural or farming diversification in the community

Agriculture impacts society in many ways, including: supporting livelihoods through

food, habitat, and jobs; providing raw materials for food and other products; and building
strong economies through trade. The process of agricultural intensification and farm

consolidation since the 1960s has led to widespread homogenization of farming

practices and agrobiodiversity, which includes both the planned (e.g. crops or livestock)

and associated (e.g. plants adapted to arable land-use) biodiversity of agricultural

systems (Batáry et al., 2020; Tscharntke et al., 2005). Tomonoy is not focusing only one

aspect of livelihood like Farming of rice and corn but also include fishing and any other

livelihood that benefits the needs of individual. Agriculture is more focused that livestock

in our community. Mostly per household is having their own farm rice or corn or

sometimes it can be root crops like kamote or gabby. But some of the farmers if they

are having troble in farming rice they will temporarily change their rice field into fishpond

they will put Telapia and Bangus. Depending on the weather the main focus of

individual is to provide the needs of their family farming or not.

Farming Diversification in Tomonoy

Crop/s Date Production

600 household(2023)

80% Farming

Corn (80% of 600 Household) Annual (Twice a year) Around 4000 sacks per

harvest

Rice (more or less 100 kahonx15 Annual (Twice or Around 2000 sacks per

sacks per kahon) Trice a year) harvest

Vegetables(Batong,Talong,Sili,Okr Once a year (Option Around 1500 bukag per

a for the rice and corn) harvest

Paliya, kabasa, Monggos

kamote Once a year (Option Around 1500 sacks per

for the rice and corn) harvest

Fruits (Mangga, Saging, Kapaya) Annual (Depending Around 200 bukag per

on the weather harvest

Conclusion as per the member of Farmers Association that I ask.

Note: 2009-2011 damage crops due to El Nino, 2017- Bagyo, 2021-2022 Bagyo
 Months/Date Crops Project Name Production

Annual (Twice a Mais/ Corn Switching to Around 4000 sacks

drought-tolerant
Year) mais gives per harvest (please
farmers a boost
(2007-2013 until in food security see note above)

present)

Almost every Year for All Agri products Pest control on Less pest Good

the rice field (90s- specially the Rice the fly Harvest

20s)

Annual (2009 until All types of Agri Fruitful hundreds of sacks

present) Community
During El products for the rice. Several
Niño,Pandemic and
Bagyo (sustainable crops) basket or sacks for

the other crops/fruits

Anytime 2017 until All types of food Community hundreds of sacks

products
present Garden for the rice. Several

basket or sacks for

the other crops/fruits

Note: the person I asked do not want to include his name and forget the other projects

about farming in our community. These are the least that I can provide.

Current Tomonoy Rice Field (Harvest Time)

Photo taken April 14,2023

Note: Not all fields are taken only the near one.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Overall, farmers irrigate about 18% of

the world's crops. In the agriculture

sector, water management is the best

way to improve productivity. You can

increase yields by up to 50% by using

a sprinkler irrigation system. Also, manufacturing canals provide better irrigation to

protect crops from tube wells. The expert consultation recognized that rice is the staple

food of most people in Asia and hence food security means rice security. Rice is closely

linked with the social harmony and political stability of many countries. However, recent

trends of declining farmers’ productivity and profitability are discouraging many farmers

from pursuing rice farming. It is therefore recommended that the governments should

take appropriate action to improve rice farmers’ productivity and income while ensuring

national food security. Of the various strategies to achieve the minimum required

production growth to raise and sustain the present level of sufficiency in rice,

consolidation of already gained genetic yield is widely recognized as the most practical

short-term strategy. This requires precise assessment of the yield gap, identification of

key technological, institutional, socio-economic and policy level constraints, and finding

appropriate remedies.
Yield Gaps in Rice Ecosystems

The expert consultation recognized the existence of sizable yield gaps between

attainable and farm level yields across ecologies, regions within ecologies, and crop

seasons in all rice growing countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The practical yield gap that can be addressed is the difference between the maximum

attainable yield and the farm level yield as defined below:

a. Maximum attainable yield: is the rice yields of experimental/on-farm plots with no

physical, biological and economic constraints and with the best-known management

practices at a given time and ecology.

b. Farm level yield: is the average farmers’ yield in a given target area at a given time

and ecology.

The consultation observed that the yield gap ranges from 10 to 60 percent between

attainable and economically exploitable yields depending on the ecosystem and

countries. The adverse environments (rainfed and flood-prone) have the highest yield

gaps.

The consultation discussed the various factors currently contributing to the yield gap in

different countries. These include biophysical, technical/management, socio-economic,

institutional/policy, technology transfer and adoption/linkage problems.

· It was also recognized that only a part of the yield gap can be remedied by currently

available technologies. Policy environment and interventions were considered a very

vital component of the strategy to bridge the yield gap. Likewise, technology transfer to

farmers and research-extension-farmer linkages play an equally important role.

· The consultation recognized that developing new varieties with higher yield potential

and stability is complementary to bridging the yield gap.

· The expert consultation felt that the goodwill and cooperation of governments is

essential to initiate an effective yield gap-narrowing regional programme.

Cited/Refs: https://www.agrifarming.in/how-to-improve-agriculture-in-the-philippines

https://www.fao.org/3/X6905em

https://www.fao.org/3/CA2588EN

https://

www.google.communityprojects+in+agricultural+development&sxsrf=

%3A168284536715 &sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Prepared by: Grichen Tudlas

Submitted to: Dr. Rosalea Fenina Margallo