Skip to main content

Factors affecting the adoption of organic rice farming: the case of farmers in M’lang, North Cotabato, Philippines

Organic Agriculture volume 9, pages 199–210 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Sustainability, especially in agriculture, has been a growing concern worldwide. In the Philippines, self-sufficiency in rice production has been a major goal. Thus, increasing and intensifying production lessens the focus on sustainability policies. Nevertheless, there are still movements and efforts to counteract the adversities brought by industrial and intensive agriculture such as the development and promotion of sustainable farming systems including organic farming. Thus, this paper attempts to identify the factors that could influence the adoption of organic farming practices in rice production. Using probit regression, with dichotomous outcomes, the likelihood of organic rice adoption given the factors was estimated. Results indicate that females, farmers with higher education levels, those with longer experiences in rice production, small landholders, and those with low-cost per hectare have higher likelihoods in adopting organic rice farming. Moreover, the importance of extension services, NGOs, and private institutions in the intensification of organic production was also seen.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  • Aktar M, Sengupta D, Chowdhury A (2009) Impact of pesticide use in agriculture: their benefits and hazards. Interdiscip Toxicol 2(1):1–12. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10102-009-0001-7

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Alfon H, Redona E (2005) A preliminary study on the Philippine organic rice subsector. Philippine Rice Research Institute Central Experiment Station. Retrieved from https://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjMrNzu7u3bAhXPWisKHf_cBaAQFggmMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2Fid%2Ffile%2F51517&usg=AOvVaw1SDbxjQA1d1SCZhEwLKW5K. Accessed 18 June 2017

  • Asadollahpour A, Najafabadi M, Hosseini S (2014) Factors affecting the conversion to organic farming in Iran: a case study of Mazandaran rice producers. Science International (Lahore) 26(4):1665–1670

    Google Scholar 

  • Balisacan AM, Ravago M-L (2003) The rice problem in the Philippines: trends, constraints, and policy imperatives. Department of Agriculture, Philippines, Quezon

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown E, Del Rosario B, Aganon C (2015) The role of market intermediaries in promoting organic rice production. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ivc/PDF/Asia/08_Brown_et_al_organic_rice_Philippines.pdf. Accessed 26 July 2018

  • Chouichom S, Yamao M (2010) Comparing opinions and attitudes of organic and non-organic farmers towards organic rice farming system in north-eastern Thailand. J Org Syst 5(1):25–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Daño E, Samonte E (2007) State of the rice industry in Mindanao. Rice Watch and Action Network and Food Sovereignty Watch - Mindanao. Retrieved from http://www.r1phils.net/PDF%20Files/Rice%20Industry%20in%20Mindanao.pdf. Accessed 18 June 2017

  • Department of Agriculture (2012) The National Organic Agriculture Program. National Organic Agriculture Board. Retrieved from http://organic.da.gov.ph/images/Documents/NOAPDocument.pdf. Accessed 5 June 2018

  • Djokoto J, Owusu V, & Vitor D (2016) Adoption of organic agriculture: evidence from cocoa farming in Ghana. In: Yildiz F (ed) Cogent Food & Agriculture (1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2016.1242181

  • D’Souza G, Cyphers D, Phipps T (1993) Factors affecting the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 22:159–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edgerton M (2009) Increasing crop productivity to meet global needs for feed, food, and fuel. Plant Physiol 149(1):7–13. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.108.130195

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Genius M, Pantzios C, Tzouvelekas V (2006) Information acquisition and adoption of organic farming practices. J Agric Resour Econ 31(1):93–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalipa A (2012) Strategic plan for bio dynamic multipurpose cooperative. A strategic plan paper of the Master in Management Program: University of the Philippines Mindanao

  • Johnston A (1997) The value of long-term field experiments in agricultural, ecological, and environmental research. Adv Agron 59:291–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafle B (2011) Factors affecting adoption of organic vegetable farming in Chitwan District, Nepal. World J Agric Sci 7(5):604–606

    Google Scholar 

  • Kassie M, Jaleta M, Shiferaw B, Mmbando F, Mekuria M (2013) Adoption of interrelated sustainable agricultural practices in smallholder systems: evidence from rural Tanzania. Technol Forecast Soc Chang 80(3):525–540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2012.08.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kassie M, Zikhali P, Manjur K, Edwards S (2009) Adoption of organic farming techniques: evidence from a semi-arid region of Ethiopia. Natural Resources Forum. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-8947.2009.01224.x

  • Kearney J (2010) Food consumption trends and drivers. Philos Trans B 365(1554):2793–2807. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koesling M, Flaten O, Lien G (2008) Factors influencing the conversion to organic farming in Norway. Int J Agric Resour Gov Ecol 7(1/2):78

  • Kesavan P, Swaminathan M (2008) Strategies and models for agricultural sustainability in developing Asian countries. Philios Trans 363(1492):877–891

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khaledi M, Weseen S, Sawyer E, Ferguson S, Gray R (2010) Factors influencing partial and complete adoption of organic farming practices in Saskatchewan, Canada. Can J Agric Econ 58:37–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7976.2009.01172.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuepper G (2010) A brief overview of the history and philosophy of organic agriculture. In: McDermott M, Harris W (eds) Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Retrieved from http://kerrcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/organic-philosophy-report.pdf. Accessed 15 June 2017

  • López C, Requena J (2005) Factors related to the adoption of organic farming in Spanish olive orchards. Span J Agric Res 3(1):5–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Makinde E, Ayoola O (2010) Growth, yield and NPK uptake by maize with complementary organic and inorganic fertilizers. Afr J Food Agric Nutr Dev 10(3). https://doi.org/10.4314/ajfand.v10i3.54078

  • Mancini L (2013) Conventional, organic and polycultural farming practices: material intensity of Italian crops and foodstuffs. Resources 2:628–650. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources2040628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Njeru M (2016) Factors influencing adoption of organic farming among farmers in Nembure Division, Embu County - Kenya. Am Int J Contemp Res 6(4):90–96

  • Ogbodo E (2013) Impact of the use of inorganic fertilizers to the soils of Ebonyi State Agro-Ecology, South-Eastern Nigeria. J Environ Earth Sci 3(7):33–38

  • Okon UE, Idiong IC (2016) Factors influencing adoption of organic vegetable farming among farm households in south-south region of Nigeria. Am Eurasian J Agric Environ Sci 16(5):852–859. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2016.16.5.12918

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philippine Statistics Authority (2015) Food sufficiency and security. Philippine Statistics Authority, Quezon

    Google Scholar 

  • Piadozo ME, Lantican FA, Pabuayon I, Quicoy A, Suyat A, Maghirang P (2014) Rice farmers’ concept and awareness of organic agriculture: implications for sustainability of Philippine organic agriculture program. J ISSAAS 20(2):142–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Pingali P (2007) Agricultural growth and economic development: a view through the globalization lens. Agric Econ 37(s1):1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pornpratansombat P, Bauer B, Boland H (2011) The adoption of organic rice farming in northeastern Thailand. J Org Syst 6(3):4–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Prashanth P, Reddy M (2012) Factors influencing the adoption of organic farming by the farmers of Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh. Int J Farm Sci 2(2):123–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahman S, Chima C (2018) Determinants of pesticide use in food crop production in southeastern Nigeria. MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8030035

  • Ramil HS (2016) Supply and demand analysis of organic rice: the case of Don Bosco Multi-purpose Cooperative in M’lang North Cotabato, Philippines. Davao: Undergraduate Thesis: University of the Philippines Mindanao

  • Rana S, Parvathi P, Waibel H (2012) Factors affecting the adoption of organic pepper farming in India. Conference on International Research on Food Security, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development. Göttingen. Retrieved from http://www.tropentag.de/2012/abstracts/full/691.pdf. Accessed 23 Nov 2017

  • Rasul G (2016) Managing the food, water, and energy nexus for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in South Asia. Environ Dev 18:14–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby D, Caceres D (2001) Organic farming and the sustainability of agricultural systems. Agric Syst 68:21–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rural Solutions South Australia (2011) Farming systems and soil acidity. Agricultural Bureau of South Australia Inc. Retrieved from http://www.agbureau.com.au/projects/soil_acidity/ABA_WS_1aa_Farming_systems_-_final_.pdf. Accessed 31 May 2018

  • Sachs C (2006) Rural women and the environment. In: Bock B, Shortall S (eds) Rural gender relations: issues and case studies. Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, pp 288–302

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Salazar R (2013) Going organic in the Philippines: social and institutional features. Agroecol Sust Food 199–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2013.833155

  • Sheahan M, Barrett C (2017) Ten striking facts about agricultural input use in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Policy 67:12–25

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Singh M, Maskey B, Maharjan K (2015) Factors impacting adoption of organic farming in Chitwan District of Nepal. Regional Conference on Marketing & Innovation in Organic Farming. Goesan County, South Korea

  • Sriwichailamphan T, Sucharidtham T (2014) Factors affecting adoption of vegetable growing using organic system: a case study of Royal Project Foundation, Thailand. International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences 3(2). https://doi.org/10.4172/2162-6359.1000179

  • Sumner J, Llewelyn S (2011) Organic solutions? Gender and organic farming in the age of industrial agriculture. Capital Nat Social 22:100–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/10455752.2010.546659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teklewood H, Kassie M, Shiferaw B (2013) Adoption of multiple sustainable agricultural practices in rural Ethiopia. J Agric Econ 64:597–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thiripurasundari K, Divya S (2015) Factors determining the adoption of organic farming among the farming community in Tamil Nadu. International Journal of Commerce, Business and Management 4(2):1039–1044

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilman D, Cassman K, Matson P, Naylor R, Polasky S (2002) Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices. Nature 418:671–677. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01014

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ullah A, Shah S, Ali A, Naz R, Mahar A, Kalhoro S (2015) Factors affecting the adoption of organic farming in Peshawar-Pakistan. Agric Sci 06:587–593

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations (2015) Sustainable development goals. Retrieved June 2018, from United Nations: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/

  • Villegas-Pangga G (2008) Approaches for sustainable rice production systems: the case of Tagalog Rice farmers in the Philippines. Regional Conference on Organic Asia

  • Virola R (2011) Rice self-sufficiency or rice security? Some statistics on rice and exports. Retrieved May 2, 2017, from Philippine Statistics Authority: http://nap.psa.gov.ph/headlines/StatsSpeak/2011/080811_rav.asp

  • Yamota J, Tan-Cruz A (2007) Farmers’ adoption of organic rice farming in Magsaysay, Davao Del Sur: factors and practices. 10th National Convention on Statistics

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was completed under the Department of Agriculture Region XI project, “Understanding constraints and opportunities to maximize contribution of seed quality to the goal of rice self-sufficiency in Region XI”. Also, the University of the Philippines Enhanced Creative Work and Research Grant has aided the completion of this study. The data used in the analysis for this research was from the dataset of Ms. Hazel Shayne I. Ramil for her undergraduate thesis. With this, the researchers are grateful to the abovementioned for allowing this study to be completed.

Funding

This research paper was completed under the funding of the Department of Agriculture, Region XI, Philippines, under the project “Understanding constraints and opportunities to maximize contribution of seed quality to the goal of rice self-sufficiency in Region XI”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Mintal, Tugbok District, 8022, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines

    Larry N. Digal & Shemaiah Gail P. Placencia

Authors
  1. Larry N. Digal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shemaiah Gail P. Placencia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shemaiah Gail P. Placencia.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The conduct of this study followed ethical standards. Moreover, human participation was in the form of surveys and interview with which they were willing to participate in.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Digal, L.N., Placencia, S.G.P. Factors affecting the adoption of organic rice farming: the case of farmers in M’lang, North Cotabato, Philippines. Org. Agr. 9, 199–210 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-018-0222-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-018-0222-1

Keywords

  • Organic rice
  • Probit regression
  • Adoption decision estimation