THE IMPACT OF AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM ON RESOURCE UTILIZATION AND PRODUCTIVITY AMONG SELECTED RICE FARMING AREAS IN THE VISAYAS

Abstract

Farmer respondents cultivated an average rice farm area of 1.2 ha in 1972 but this area slightly decreased to 1.15 ha in 1977 and 1.17 ha in 1982, However, their expenditures on fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and other inputs showed an increasing trend. Among the innovative practices employed by farmers especially during the agrarian reform years are the use of tractor in plowing and harrowing, mechanical threshers, rotary weeders, and planting of high yielding varieties. The average yield per hectare before the implemen tation of the agrarian reform program was only 48.63 cavans. The yield slightly increased to 52.42 cavans in 1977 and 53.01 cavans in 1982. Annual family income also increased from P2,759 in 1972 to P7,416 in 1982. Yield was not significantly associated with the agrarian reform program. The determinants of crop yield included crop variety, fertilizer and irrigation. The effect of farm area was negative, indicating that smaller farms had higher yield per unit area than bigger ones.