THE Department of Agriculture (DA) bared on Wednesday its farm-mechanization goal as members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) move to full integration this year.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said in a statement “there is a need to boost the adoption of farm machineries in the Philippines for local farmers to be be at par with its Asean neighbors and meet the requirements of regional integration.”
He said recent reports show that the farm-mechanization level in local agriculture, particularly in the rice sector, is now at almost 3 horsepower per hectare (hp/ha).
Alcala said the DA is targeting to reach a farm-mechanization level of 4 hp/ha in the country.
According to a study conducted by the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), the adoption rate of farm mechanization in the Philippines used to be at 0.6 hp/ha in the late 1990s. This increased to 1.23 hp/ha in 2012. Farm-mechanization level, particularly in the rice and corn sectors, reached 2.31 hp/ha in 2013.
PhilMech Executive Director Rex L. Bingabing earlier said there is a fast adoption rate in the two sectors. “There are no formal studies, yet, but we estimate that we have already reached 3 hp/ha,” he said.
He added that boosting farm mechanization in agriculture will lower the cost of crop production, helping farmers become as competitive as their counterparts in Vietnam and Thailand.
According to the 2015 Asean Economic Community Integration report, Vietnam led the 10 member-countries in the percentage share of agriculture in GDP at 17.6 percentage in 2013. Thailand’s was at 8.3 percent, while the Philippines at 10.4 percent.
Meanwhile, Alcala said he wants to assure farmers that despite the modernization of the agriculture sector, they will not be left jobless. He emphasized that building and enhancing the capabilities of farmers to be service providers is part of the agency’s mechanization program.
“Aside from providing state-of-the-art machines and facilities, we will provide farmers trainings on how to operate these high-tech equipment and how to run a business,” he said.
The DA said local agriculture has been undergoing major development through the interventions brought by the agency’s regional field units to farmers’ groups and associations.
Since 2010, the DA said it has distributed thousands of units of farm equipment and facilities including high-powered four-wheel drive tractors, combine harvesters and rice mills, among others, to farmers.
1 comment
Mukhang kayang sabayan o makahabol ang PILIPINAS sa bilis ng pag-unlad, bilis ng phasing ng mechanization at modernization ng farm tools ng VIETNAM at THAILAND…
KUNG TITRIPLHIN (3x) ang budget ng DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE at dodoblehin (2x) ang SUBSIDY sa mga FARMERS COOPERATIVE for farm mechanization at technology…from P90.0 billion (2016) to P300.0 billion (2017 ?), kayang-kayang makahabol ang PILIPINAS sa Vietnam at Thailand..
sa ngayon….mas malaki ng ilang ulit ang inihahatag na budget sa DPWH at DSWD CCT kaysa sa AGRICULTURE….
KAHIT sa FARM to MARKET road (FMR) at huwag na lang sa farm mechanization… barya-barya lang (P800.0 billion) ang inilalaan sa FMR…simple lang …..bawasan ng 10% ang budget ng DPWH, DND at DSWD (30%) at itransfer sa Dept of Agriculture..