DAR projects yield more rice, income — Study

Farmers have improved production and increased their income as a result of a foreign-assisted project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

A Japanese-sponsored study showed farmers had higher rice yield per hectare, more croppings per year, higher on-farm and household income, and better access to services.

Between 1996 and March this year, the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project-Phase I (ARISP-I) provided infrastructure support, including irrigation, post-harvest facilities and farm-to-market roads, and institutional development services to farmers in 79 agrarian reform communities nationwide.

The project cost a total of P2.5 billion, consisting of a P1.9-billion loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and a counterpart fund of P636 million from the Philippine government.

Areas covered were Pusunangtatay in La Union, Nabunturan in Compostela Valley, and De la Paz in Iloilo.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza said ARISP is among his department’s foreign-assisted projects that has made a "big difference" in the lives of farmers in agrarian reform communities.

"The rural infrastructure projects that ARISP implements in different areas in the country are a clear manifestation of government’s determination to bring the war against poverty to a successful conclusion," he said.

Entitled "Evaluation of Three Selected Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project Agrarian Reform Communities," the study showed improved crop yields resulted in increased on-farm income and produced favorable changes on the level of non-farm and farm income.

Higher crop yields in Pusunangtatay and Nabunturan were underpinned by irrigation and sufficient water supplies, and the adoption of high-yielding varieties and increase input fertilizers, the study said.

However, the study showed low crop increase in De la Paz because of natural disasters, damage to crops by pests and diseases, and insufficient water supply.

In Pusunangtatay, cropping intensity reached a high 2.3 cropping per year, compared to Inabaan Norte, which had 1.22 croppings per year, the study said.

The study showed about one-third of tiller-respondents in Pusunangtatay had three croppings, while nearly all of tiller-respondents in Inabaan Norte had only one cropping.

In Nabunturan, a slight increase in cropping intensity was recorded with two croppings per year, compared to Awao, which had 1.82 croppings per year, the study said.

However, the study showed that in Iloilo, cropping intensity of non-ARISP Agca was higher at 2.12 than in Dela Paz with only an annual 1.98 croppings.

The farm gate price of palay in six agrarian reform communities was almost similar, with ARISP-I areas having "slightly higher mean farm gate prices."

The study showed three ARISP agrarian reform communities had higher average yields per hectare in terms of rice productivity and average household income than the non-ARISP areas.

Pusunangtatay had a recorded yield of 4.66 metric tons of rice per hectare, and Dela Paz had 2.82 metric tons of rice per hectare, the study said.

The study showed Inabaan Norte had an average yield of 2.85 metric tons of rice per hectare, Awao had 2.76 metric tons of rice per hectare, and Agca had 2.09 metric tons of rice per hectare.

The average household income in Pusunangtatay was P157,084.11; Nabunturan, P102,988.73; Dela Paz, P108,001.96; Inabaan Norte, P98, 714.23; Awao, P64,246.95; and Agca had P70,631.06, the study said.

The study was conducted by the UP Los Baños Institute of Agrarian and Urban Reform Studies in partnership with Dr. Katzumi Nozawa of Asian University.

The agrarian reform department is completing ARISP II, while ARISP III is still being planned.

ARISP II costs P6.74 billion, with P5.66 billion from JBIC and P1.08 billion as the government’s counterpart fund.

Compared to ARISP I, ARISP II would have projects like potable water supply, institutional development, including agricultural extension and livelihood, and project administration.