By ERIC P. PALACPAC Photo by ASROQUE
F
arm mechanization is highly regarded as an important strategy in improving the productivity of a country’s agriculture. In the Philippines, such strategy is well contained under Section 59 and corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997.
But despite AFMA and recent efforts to support it, the level of agricultural mechanization in the country remains relatively low. In a study conducted by Elepaño, Resurreccion, Suministrado, Rodulfo, and Larona (2005) titled “Agricultural Mechanization Development in the Philippines”, it was reported that the power sources in rice and corn production were mainly provided by manual labor at an average usage of 56.5%. The said labor is predominantly utilized during planting, weeding, fertilizer application, spraying, harvesting and drying of crops. Meanwhile, power utilization from machines and man-animal was almost similar, that is, averages of 21.7% and 19.2%, respectively. In the same study, it was reported that farmers used draft animals mostly during land preparation (64.7%) while machines are commonly used during threshing or shelling (69%) and milling (100%) operations. In a separate study by Suministrado (2008) titled “History and Status of Agricultural Mechanization in the Philippines”, it was reported that
carabao power machine power complements
mechanization levels in the production of vegetables, legumes, root crops, coconut, fruits, and fiber crops are generally low while that of sugarcane can range from low to high depending on the type of operation. While there may be a gamut of factors that could explain the low levels of farm mechanization in the country, the (still) popular use of draft animals, particularly carabaos, in many farming operations imply that the animal has effectively been integrated into a prevailing farming system. Such integration can be manifested in economic terms. In a study conducted by STRIVE Foundation, Inc. in 2004, titled “The Carabao Industry: Prospects and Strategic Directions”, it was reported that the contribution of draft carabao power to crops production, as estimated through the production functions for rice, corn, coconut, and sugar was valued at Php73 million in 2002 alone.
In retrospect, the conclusion made by Battad, Agbayani, and Cruz from a 1999 study titled “Effect of Farm Mechanization on Carabao Draft Power Utilization”, which was, “In the Philippines, where farming is done in fragmented smallholdings and wherein the carabao has been wellintegrated, farmers will continue to use carabao for draft power,” holds water to this very day. In this issue of the PCC Newsletter, we feature various places, practices, and individuals who attest to the valuable and inevitable role and contribution of the carabao as a source of draft power in many farm and off-farm activities. The intention is not to undermine the use of oil-powered machines, but to acknowledge and emphasize the fact that draft carabaos provide a complementary and strategic function in the agricultural supply chain and in other services particularly in the rural areas.
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