‘Faulty’ agriculture programs keep farmers poor – PIDS

MANILA — Despite efforts of the government to increase funding for the farm sector, poverty incidence among agriculture households remain high.

This was part of the findings of the study, titled “Impact Assessment of the Agricultural Production Support Services of the Department of Agriculture [DA] on the Income of Poor Farmers and Fisherfolk,” authored by Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) senior research fellow Dr. Roehlano Briones.

Briones said poverty incidence among households dependent on agriculture was 40 percent, while the poverty incidence among non-agricultural households was only 19 percent.

“Poverty among agricultural households remains high; conversely, the bulk of the country’s poor derive their livelihood from agriculture. According to the government’s logical framework for agricultural development, the ultimate goal of public spending on agriculture is to raise rural household welfare and reduce poverty,” he said.

Briones, a rural development and agriculture economics expert, said this level of poverty is due to problems in agriculture. He said many agriculture programs suffered from “design and implementation problems.” This, more than insufficient funding or other external factors that affect programs, is the main problem in the agriculture sector.

“[This is] a suitable explanation for the lack of impact, using a case study as well as review of international evidence on development strategies similar to those pursued in the country,” Briones said.

The study stated that incidence of chronic poverty or long-term poverty among agriculture households is 27.6 percent, higher than the 10.8 percent among non-agriculture households.

Data also showed that transient poverty or short-term poverty was also higher among agricultural households at 12.3 percent, while transient poverty among non-agricultural households is at 7.8 percent.

“Poor households, the proportion of the chronically poor is greater for those in agriculture. Conversely, of all poor households the overwhelming proportion is in agriculture; the share is even higher for households who are chronically poor,” said Briones.

Earlier, National Statistical Coordination Board Secretary-General Jose Ramon G. Albert said poverty incidence among population was estimated at 27.9 percent during the first semester of 2012.

Comparing this with the 2006 and 2009 first-semester figures estimated at 28.8 percent and 28.6 percent, respectively, poverty remained unchanged as the computed differences are not statistically significant. –Cai U. Ordinario, BusinessMirror