EMPOWERING RICE FARMING COMMUNITIES:

A POLICY BRIEF ON DEMOGRAPHICS, SOCIO-

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, CHALLENGES, AND
ASPIRATIONS OF RICE FARMERS IN KAWAYANON,
VALENCIA CITY, BUKIDNON
 CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURAL POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT

EMPOWERING RICE FARMING COMMUNITIES:

A POLICY BRIEF ON DEMOGRAPHICS, SOCIO-
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, CHALLENGES, AND
ASPIRATIONS OF RICE FARMERS IN KAWAYANON,
VALENCIA CITY, BUKIDNON
December 2023

INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the agricultural landscape has undergone significant
Abalayan, Ray Mark transformations, with rice farming playing a pivotal role in sustaining global food
Cabrejas, Hannah security. This research paper delves into the intricate fabric of the rice farming
Esperon, James community in Kawayanon, Valencia City, Bukidnon, aiming to comprehensively
assess the socio-economic profile of the rice farmers in this barangay. The choice of
Luardo, Ian
Kawayanon is strategic, considering its unique agricultural practices, geographical
Pojas, Paul Christian
features, and socioeconomic dynamics. Understanding the nuances of the rice
BSA 4I
farming community in this specific locale not only contributes valuable insights to
local policymaking but also adds to the broader discourse on sustainable agriculture
A Requirement in Introduction to and rural development. The socioeconomic profile of rice farmers encompasses a
Agricultural Policy and multitude of factors, ranging from income levels and landownership to education
Development and access to resources. By meticulously examining these facets, this research
endeavors to paint a holistic picture of the challenges and opportunities faced by
Mr. Joemar Javier rice farmers in Kawayanon. In doing so, it aspires to provide a foundation for
Subject Instructor evidence-based interventions that can enhance the overall well-being of these
farmers and contribute to the resilience and sustainability of the local agricultural
sector. As the world grapples with the complexities of ensuring food security in the
Policy Brief Contents
face of a changing climate and growing global population, an in-depth exploration
of the socioeconomic dynamics of rice farming at the local level becomes
Introduction increasingly imperative.
Presentation of findings
Conclusion Objectives:
Recommendation
The main objective of this policy research is to provide a comprehensive
Disclaimer: This report is not for understanding of the context, challenges, and aspirations of rice farmers, while also
public consumption. Anyone who proposing practical strategies for improvement and sustainable development within
copies or publishes this material the farming community. Specifically, it aims to;
in any form without the written
(a) determine the demographical profile of rice farmers
permission of the authors may be
(b) compare the socio-economic condition of the rice farmers
subject to copyright infringement
(c) identify the challenges, issues, and/or problems encountered by the rice farmers
laws.
(d) examine the aspiration of rice farmers for their children

Hannah Cabrejas
 farmers from the area participated, filling out the survey questionnaire provided
by our group. The questionnaire sought information about their personal
profiles, the challenges they face in rice farming, and their aspirations for their
children. This survey aimed to provide insights into the current situation of rice
farmers in Sitio Kawayanon, Valencia City, Bukidnon.

PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS

A. Farmer’s Socio-economic Profile

__________________________________________________________
The table in the right side displays the age distribution of rice farmers.
The majority of farmers fall within the age range of 41 to 50 years old (30%)
and 51 to 60 years old. The remaining rice farmers are distributed across the age
groups of 30 to 40 years old (20%), 61 to 70 years old (10%), and 71 to 80 years
old (10%).

__________________________________________________________
The table in the right side shows that the majority of the rice farmer
participants are male (70%), while fewer (30%) are female participants.

__________________________________________________________
The table in the right side shows that all participants in the study, who
are rice farmers, are already married (100%).

__________________________________________________________
Educational Frequency
The table in the right side shows the educational attainment of the rice
Attainment
Elementary 2
farmer participants. The majority of rice farmers attained a college degree
Level
(40%), followed by those with a high school level education (30%), elementary
Elementary
level education (20%), and 0high school graduates (10%).
Graduate
High School 3
Level
High School 1
Graduate
College Level 0
College 4
Graduate
Others, please 0
__________________________________________________________
specify
The table in the right side shows the household size of the rice farmer
participants. The majority of rice farmers have a household size of below 5
members
Household (60%),
sizefollowed by those with 5 to 7 members (30%), and 8 to 10
Frequency
members
Below (10%).
5 members 6
5-7 members 3
8-10 members 1
11 members and 0
above

Age Frequency
Civil Status Frequency 30 – 40 yrs. old 2
Married 10 41 – 50 yrs. old 3
Sex
Widow Frequency
0 51 – 60 yrs. old 3
Male
Single 7 0 61 – 70 yrs. old 1
Female
Separated 3 0 71 – 80 yrs. old 1
 __________________________________________________________
The table in the left side illustrates that the primary occupation of 70% of
Occupation Frequency
rice farmers is rice farming. Additionally, 30% of rice farmers engage in rice
Rice farming as 7
primary farming as their primary occupation while also pursuing secondary occupations,
occupation such as hog raising, teaching, and running a store.
Rice farming with 3
secondary __________________________________________________________
occupation The table in the left side displays the farm experience of rice farmers in
years. The majority of rice farmers have 21 to 30 years of experience (50%),
while others have 11 to 20 years (30%), 31 to 40 years (10%), and 5 to 10 years
Farm Frequency
experience (10%) of experience, respectively.
5 – 10 yrs. 1
11 – 20 yrs. 3
21 – 30 yrs. 5 _________________________________________________________
31 – 40 yrs. 1 The table in the left side displays the farm size of the rice farmers. The
majority of rice farmers have a farm size of 1.6 to 2.5 hectares (50%), followed
by those with 0.5 to 1.5 hectares (30%), and others with 2.6 to 3.5 hectares
Farm size Frequency
0.5 – 1.5 ha 3 (10%), and 4.6 to 5.5 hectares (10%), respectively.
1.6 – 2.5 ha 5
2.6 – 3.5 ha 1
3.6 – 4.5 ha 0 __________________________________________________________
4.6 – 5.5 ha 1 The table in the left side displays the tenurial status of rice farmers. The
majority of rice farmers are farm owners (50%), while others are tenants (40%),
and co-owners (10%), respectively.
Tenurial Frequency
status
Farm owner 5
Tenant 4
Co-owner 1 _________________________________________________________
Others 0 The table in the left side and below displays the annual income of rice
farmers. The majority of rice farmers have an annual income of 91,000 and
Annual income Frequency above (30%), and 71,000 to 90,000 (30%). Additionally, other rice farmers have
Php 30,000 below 1 annual incomes in the brackets of 51,000 to 70,000 (20%), 31,000 to 50,000
Php 31,000 – 1 (10%), and 30,000 and below (10%), respectively.
50,000
Php 51,000 – 2 Annual Income
70,000
Php 71,000 – 90, 3
000
3
Php 91,000 and 3
above 2

0 Php 30,000 Php 31,000 – Php 51,000 – Php 71,000 – Php 91,000
below 50,000 70,000 90, 000 and above
 they face include insufficient support for strengthening farmers' organizations
(90%), lack of advanced farming technology (80%), lack of financial support
(70%), and drought (40%). These challenges and issues can be addressed
through proper strategic planning and effective policy implementation.

Challenges and Issues

Lack of financial support

Lack advanced farming technology

Lack of farm to market roads

Insufficient farm equipment and drying facilities

Insufficient support for strengthening farmer’s organizations

Flood

Drought
0 2 4 6 8 10 12

C. Aspiration to their children

__________________________________________________________
Most of the farmers want their children to become rice farmers (70%),
while the other 30% do not want their children to pursue a career in rice
farming. Major reasons of rice farmers for not wanting their children to be like
them. According to them, they discourage their children from becoming rice
farmers because it is very difficult and expensive. The return on investment in
rice farming is only sufficient to cover debts. Additionally, it is very challenging
to become a rice farmer without land to cultivate and lacking government
support for local farmers. Major reasons of rice farmers for wanting their
children to be like them. They believe that at least one of their children will
become a rice farmer, carrying on their legacy in rice farming and managing the
rice farm in the future.
__________________________________________________________
Most of the farmers believe that there is a future in rice farming (70%),
while the other 30% do not believe that there is future in rice farming. Major
reasons of farmers which believe that there is future in rice farming. According
to them, there is a promising future in rice farming as many farmers continue to
engage in it, and the farmgate price of rice is gradually increasing. Additionally,
they believe that prioritizing government programs for local rice farmers would
Challenges Frequency
further ensure a bright future in rice farming.
Drought 4
Flood 10
Insufficient
support for
strengthening 9
farmer’s
organizations
Insufficient farm 7
and a stable job.
Yes 10
No 0
____________________________________________________________
Most of the rice farmers believe that their children are not interested in
5. Children are Frequency
rice farming (80%), while the other 20% believe that their children are interested
not interested in
rice farming. in rice farming. Major reasons why their children are interested in rice farming.
Yes 8 According to them, their children are interested in rice farming because it has
No 2 sustained their everyday living from birth until today. Additionally, rice farming
provides self-sufficiency for the family, reducing the need to buy rice from the
market.
Ray Mark Abalayan

CONCLUSION

__________________________________________________________
In conclusion, 80% of the respondents are between 30-60 years of age,
and only 20% are aged 60 and above, 70% are male and 30% are female, all of
them being married. With regards to the educational attainment of the
respondents, only 20% where of elementary level, 40% of them being in the
high school level, and the remaining 40% having finished their college
education. Among the respondents, 60% of them having no more than 5
members in their household, while 40% of them have more than 5, and 50% of
them have no more than 3 children each, and the other 50% of them having
more than 3 children.
As a source of livelihood of the respondents, 70% of them stated that rice
farming is their primary source of income, while 30% stated that it was not their
primary occupation. In terms of land size, 80% of the respondents stated that
they cultivate a land area of 0.5 – 2.5 hectares, while 20% cultivate up to 5.5
hectares, 60% of them being owners and co-owners and 40% of them being
tenants.
On the income scale, 70% of the respondents stated that their annual
income be between 30,000 -90,000 pesos, and 30% of them having an annual
salary that exceeds 90,000 pesos. Most of the respondents stated that they have a
lot of problems in common, that being Lack of community and financial
support, lack of equipment and technologies, lack of market accessibility, and
flood.
When the respondents were asked if they wanted their children to take on
rice farming as well, many of them responded in favor, they believe that despite
current market conditions, rice farming is not a failing enterprise for them. All
of the farmers share the idea of having their children go to college to have access
to a more stable job, and that child these days are not interested in rice farming.

James Joshua Esperon

• Infrastructure development by prioritizing the construction and improvement
of farm-to-market roads to facilitate the efficient transportation of the rice
farmers produce.
• Farm-level measures such as implementing raised bed planting elevate rice
crops above floodwaters, minimizing waterlogging and damage, while the
Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technique conserves water by allowing
periodic drying of soil between irrigations, aiding in water level management
and flood risk reduction.
• Construction of farm dike around rice fields which can help prevent
floodwaters from moving to the crop.
• Installation of gates, sluice gates, or check dams can help control the flow of
water, enabling farmers to manage water levels in rice fields effectively.
• Establishing a system that provides timely information about impending
floods. This can give farmers the opportunity to take preventive measures such
as harvesting crops early or implementing temporary protective measures.
• Educating the farmers about flood-resistant rice varieties, proper land
management practices, and early warning signs. This can empower them to
make informed decisions during flood events.
• Government intervention by investing of infrastructure projects, such as
improving irrigation systems, upgrading drainage systems, and constructing
flood control structures to protect rice farming communities.
• Planting of cover crops and other vegetation to reduce soil erosion. This can
enhance soil structure and water absorption capacity, mitigating the impact of
floods.

Aspiration to their children

_________________________________________________________
• Strengthening and aggressively implementing nationwide the 4H clubs and
associated programs among the rural youths, with a focus on agriculture and
agri-business management.
• Agriculture courses be required or enhanced in the elementary and high school
curriculum, or as an additional path be found for agriculture as a science strand,
perhaps embedded in the “STEAM” (instead of “STEM”) strand -science,
technology, agriculture, and mathematics.
• Stop the increasing importation through the rice tariffication law. This would REFERENCE:
put the city at risk: both for the city’s rice supply requirements and the
Taher, A., Clerigo-Maingat, A.,
livelihood of the local rice farmers. Instead of spending so much on rice Zaportiza, J., Dalman, J. J., Mendez,
importation, investing in price support to assist local rice farmers to increase J. D., Tadle, M., & Dimaampao, R.
their local production and income could be considered. (n.d.). POLICY BRIEF INPUTS
FOR ILIGAN CITY
AGRICULTURAL CODE.
Sustainable Development Studies
School of Graduate Studies.