Socio-economists seek policies to increase income of farmers
Socio-economists based at the Philippine Rice Institute are asking for policies that would increase the price of palay as a way to help improve the living condition of the farmers.
Flordeliza Bordey, program leader of PhilRice’s Policy and Advocacy program said the income of farmers from rice is not sufficient to meet their daily needs based on the results of Integrated Farm Household Analysis Project (IFHAP).
“The results reveal that income from rice alone is not enough to meet farmers’ basic needs. We urge that policies be put in place so farmers can enjoy high palay price while maintaining the price of milled rice,” Bordey said.
IFHAP results revealed that household income from rice farming has grown by 38 percent from P35,433 in 1996-1997 to P48,729 in 2006-2007.
However, Bordey pointed that a closer look at the results revealed that despite the income increment, rice farmers’ economic situation is bleak owing to inflation.
“Considering increase in prices of goods, the real value of rice income has decreased despite growth in rice yields over time, making farmers unable to sustain their purchasing power,” she explained.
The survey rounds of IFHAP further revealed that farmers tend to depend less on rice for their income and rely on non-agriculture sources.
Without alternative sources from small businesses and vegetable cultivation, Bordey said that rice-based farm households “will be placed in a difficult situation.”
To help farmers, she also said policies increasing farmers’ access to technology should be laid down.
PhilRice socio-economists also suggested that promotion of cost-reducing technologies to increase farmers’ yields with fewer inputs be intensified.
“Farmers should also be aware that their palay produce has increasing value. For instance, palay by-products like rice hull are now being marketed in bulk,” she added.
PhilRice regularly conducts studies leading to policies to help achieve national goals of rice self-sufficiency and food security.
As PhilRice Executive Director Ronilo A. Beronio recently said, policy research, especially on rice, is important as it guides policymakers in crafting strategic policy directions.*PNA
