Participatory Policy Development for the Lowland Rainfed Rice-Based Farming Systems Towards Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development: A Case Study of Nueva Ecija, Philippines
File under: Sustainable Agriculture and Resource Management
After fifty years, farmers in lowland, rainfed areas in the Philippines remain impoverished. Many of
these lands remain unirrigated and underdeveloped. Both the farmer population and agricultural lands
are facing extinction with such low economic returns offered by farming. The farmer either gives up
tilling the land completely or sells his land to prospectors. Outmigration to the urban areas or even
abroad, mostly by women, has become the best way out of this vicious cycle of poverty.
This gives a general picture of the findings of this study on lowland rainfed rice-based farming
system. Nueva Ecija was selected given its long rice-farming history to cover the timespan of the
study. The study ran for almost two years from 2003 to 2004.
ANGOC conducted this study, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to
strengthen its call that sustainable agriculture is the viable alternative for resource poor farmers.
Although the results of the study depict a disturbing scenario, we at ANGOC believe this is a
powerful tool in urging governments to step up its support for such neglected areas in Philippine
agriculture. The study also helps us present how sustainable agriculture is the best hope for the farmer
in a lowland rainfed area with lower costs of inputs needed to sustain farming activities and better
yield in time.
This study is part of the process of ensuring the relevance and effectiveness of ANGOC’s work. It is
intended to provide recommendations on how ANGOC can help call for the improvement of policy
and programs in support of the small impoverished farmer.
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Contents
Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC)
Central Luzon State University (CLSU)
Farming Systems and Soil Resources Institute, University of the Philippines, Los Baños (FSSRI-UPLB)
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD)
Submitted to
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN)
