Problems in

Crop
Production:
Loss of
Interest in
Agriculture
 Background
Agriculture is the key sector for the Philippines
• Agriculture, fishery, livestock, and
forestry accounts for one-fifth(20%) of the
Philippine economy’s aggregate domestic
output(GDP).
• Agricultural sector employs 39.8
percent of the labor force.
• Agribusiness produces output which
accounts for 70% of the total agricultural
output.
What leads to the
Problem?
 Loss of Agricultural Lands
o The rampant conversion of agricultural
land into golf courses, residential
subdivisions, and industrial packs or resorts
leads to the loss of interest in agriculture.
o Small land-holders find it more
profitable to sell their land to developers in
exchange for cash, especially since they lack
capital for seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and
wages for hiring workers to plant and harvest
the crops.
 Perception of Youth in Agriculture
o The loss of interest among the youth
in agriculture in the developing world is just
the contemporary manifestation of the
‘classical agricultural transformation’, i.e. the
process through which a country’s
agricultural sector shrinks relative to other
sectors, encouraging the widespread shift of
people out of farming
 Perception of Youth in Agriculture

o Youth equated agriculture with

farming, but made no connection to the
technical or research-intensive aspects of
agriculture. Farming was perceived to be
hard, physical labor and stressful because of
machinery breakage, weather uncertainties,
and price variances.
 Perception of Youth in Agriculture

o They had no interest in agriculture and

seemed to view a career in agriculture with
disdain or at least apathy.
Loss of Interest in
Agriculture
 Perception of Youth in Agriculture
• Leads to lower production rate due to
the reduced number of labor force.
• Agricultural practices are getting
passed down to lesser and lesser number of
people which may cause these agricultural
practices to disappear in the future.
• Food production or crop production is
hindered due to the decreasing number of
workers.
• Loss of interest in agriculture may
increase throughout the years.
Solution
• Make agriculture more attractive
• Target those groups who are most
relevant
References
Habito, C., & Briones, R. (2005). Philippine agriculture over the years: Performance, policies, and pitfalls.
Policies to Strengthen Productivity in the Philippines.

Holz-Clause, M., & Jost, M. (1995). Using Focus Groups to Check Youth Perceptions in Agriculture.
Journal of Extension.

OECD. (2017). Agricultural Policies in the Philippines. Retrieved from OECD Publishing, Paris:
https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264269088-en

Philippines-Agriculture. (2007). Retrieved from Nations Encyclopedia:

https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Philippines-
AGRICULTURE.html

Swarts, M., & Aliber, M. (2014). The 'youth and agriculture' problem: Implications for rangeland
development. African Journal of Range and Development, 23-27.