Publication:
Realizing Scale in Smallholder-Based Agriculture: Policy Options for the Philippines

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (5.32 MB)
2,938 downloads
English Text (411.39 KB)
351 downloads
Date
2021-06
ISSN
Published
2021-06
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
In recent decades, the agriculture and fisheries sector in the Philippines has grown but has clearly not lived up to its potential. Philippine agriculture has weathered the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic better than the overall national economy. Recent government reports highlight the difficulty of modernizing Philippine agriculture under circumstances in which farmland is continuously fragmented, institutional arrangements for farm-to-market coordination and distribution are underdeveloped, and large parts of the food economy experience significant logistical bottlenecks and costs. This report combines results from three activities undertaken from mid-2020 to the first months of 2021. This report has five chapters. Chapter 2 reviews recent policy developments and some current priorities of the Department of Agriculture (DA). Chapter 3 describes the spatial analysis, highlighting the differences in agriculture’s transformative potential in different regions of the country. Given that spatial strategies are a relatively new departure in Philippine agriculture, Chapter 4 draws on experience at the national and subnational levels of other Asian countries to derive positive lessons for implementing them in the Philippines.
Link to Data Set
Citation
World Bank. 2021. Realizing Scale in Smallholder-Based Agriculture: Policy Options for the Philippines. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35982 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Agriculture, Water, and Land Policies to Scale Up Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Georgia
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022) World Bank
    This Synthesis report summarizes the main constraints and opportunities that Georgia faces in amplifying the contribution of the agriculture sector to the country’s economic growth and diversification, employment creation, poverty reduction, food security and nutrition, and climate resilience and mitigation. Successful achievement of these multiple objectives, however, requires an integrated set of multi-sectoral policies. Synergistic public and private investments in agriculture, water, and land can lead to increased production and productivity by transitioning from low returns from agriculture to high-value crop production.
  • Publication
    Priorities for the Development of Smallholder Agriculture in Swaziland
    (Washington, DC, 2011-06-27) World Bank
    The purpose of this policy note is to contribute to an understanding of the factors that combine to constrain the development of smallholder agriculture in Swaziland. It seeks to shed light on why, despite being well-endowed in land and water resources, and despite having a climate that is generally favorable for the production of crops and livestock, Swaziland is obliged to import substantial amounts of food to feed the population. Also, why, in spite of the significant investments that have made in the agricultural sector and in spite of the extensive farming experience of the 70 percent of the population that lives off the land, smallholder farm productivity and production have been declining over time. Finally, the policy notes identify priority areas where strategic interventions are needed to turn things around and get smallholder agriculture going as a driver of growth and poverty reduction. This note provides an overview of smallholder agriculture in Swaziland, identifes constraints that may be contributing to poor performance in the smallholder sector, and evaluates technological options that could improve productivity of smallholder farmers. In addition, it summarizes the findings of a recent review of public spending on agriculture, undertaken to identify trends and patterns in agricultural spending over the last five years and to determine whether the government's budget allocations have been effective in supporting the intended development of smallholder agriculture. After addressing these questions, the policy note points to entry points where future government interventions could help to reverse the current negative trends.
  • Publication
    Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Agricultural Sector Review
    (Washington, DC, 2014-06) World Bank
    Economic growth, job creation, and development are central to the decade of transformation (2015-25) and long-term security for the people of Afghanistan. The Bank and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) recognize that agriculture and rural development are a key to inclusive growth, and hence need renewed vigor and strategic long-term investments. Further, the Bank and the GoIRA acknowledge that increases in agricultural productivity and market access for smallholders are critical for rural development, job creation, and food security in Afghanistan. Sections two and three of this report describe the agricultural sector and its current and potential roles in the Afghan economy, and present the rationale for choosing certain areas and subsectors for a selective 'first mover' strategy to achieve early gains. Section four outlines the constraints and potential in each of the three value chains proposed for the selective strategy, irrigated wheat, intensive livestock production, and horticulture. Section five describes cross-cutting constraints and how best to address them, and Section six proposes measures to help the rural poor who will not benefit much from the first-mover strategy. Section seven summarizes the recommendations of the review and their expected results for jobs and incomes.
  • Publication
    Basic Agricultural Public Expenditure Diagnostic Review : Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture
    (Washington, DC, 2013-04) World Bank
    Ghana, like many other African countries, had made a commitment in 2003 to allocate at least ten percent of their national budgetary resources to develop the agricultural sector by 2008, following the adoption of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), with an aim towards realizing food security and poverty reduction. This Agriculture Public Expenditure Review (AgPER) for Ghana analyzes data on public spending from both government and donor sources to assess: 1) the alignment between expenditure patterns within the agricultural sector and stated policy priorities; and 2) the effectiveness of public spending by comparing spending against results. The outputs of the review include a comprehensive agricultural expenditure assessment to help provide a solid foundation for carrying out specialized studies, such as Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS), and the establishment of the levels and composition of public expenditure in the selected subsectors
  • Publication
    Agricultural Innovation in Developing East Asia
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2021-12-08) Rajalahti, Riikka
    Agricultural innovation has played a critical role in the economic transformation of developing East Asian countries over the past half century. The Green Revolution—in the form of modern seed varieties, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and modern machinery—has contributed to increased crop yields and farm incomes, and decreased poverty across the region. Although policy makers’ traditional focus on expanding and intensifying agricultural production has brought many benefits, the focus on productivity has come at a rising cost. The environmental sustainability of agricultural production is increasingly under threat. Moreover, as countries in the region have become more urbanized and demand for processed foods has risen, inadequate food safety systems and related food safety hazards have created a new form of food insecurity. As detailed in Agricultural Innovation in Developing East Asia: Productivity, Safety, and Sustainability, a new generation of innovation in agriculture has the potential to address the challenges of productivity, sustainability, and food safety to deliver a “triple win.” To make the most of this promising wave of agricultural innovations, policy makers in the region will need to act to strengthen countries’ agricultural innovation systems. This effort will require a cross-cutting approach, including policy and institutional reforms, improved governance of countries’ agri-food systems, and efforts to build farmers’ and firms’ capacities to adopt new technologies and to innovate.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    Impacts of Displacement on Urban Livelihoods
    (Taylor and Francis, 2015-07-02) Choi, Narae
    This article seeks to understand the ways in which urban livelihoods are affected by development-induced displacement, with a particular focus on residents remaining in the locality. Through an empirical case study of a railway upgrading project in Metro Manila, the article investigates livelihood impacts of large-scale demolition and displacement, which varied depending on whether the physical capital of remaining residents declined due to land clearance and the extent to which they relied on the local livelihood network established with displaced settlers. In comparison, households remained intact when they had little engagement with the local informal economy.
  • Publication
    Market Study for the Philippines
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-03-22) World Bank Group
    Mismanaged plastic waste has growing economic and environmental consequences. USD 80-120 billion worth of plastic packaging is lost from the global economy each year due to lack of recycling and suboptimal value creation where recycling exists. Globally, 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic leak into our oceans each year with Asia contributing to over 80 percent of this marine leakage. The Philippines is the third largest contributor with an estimated 0.75 million metric tons of mismanaged plastic entering the ocean every year. This has led to an increased awareness towards plastic waste management, bringing the topic of plastic pollution to the forefront of consumer consciousness in the Philippines. To address the challenge of plastic waste management, the Philippines is currently developing new strategies. The National Plan of Action on Marine Litter, under development by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with support of UNDP Philippines, is currently being finalized. The plan recognizes the need for more concerted and unified efforts from various stakeholders to tackle the problem of marine litter. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) published The Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022 targeting a national waste diversion rate of 80 percent by 2022. This will be primarily achieved through the enforcement of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act RA9003—an integrated solid waste management plan based on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle). Furthermore, in 2019, NEDA published the Philippine Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (PAP4SCP) to improve waste management and plastic circularity. This study addresses the critical need for a private sector focused market assessment of plastics recycling in the Philippines. Reuse, refill and new delivery model aspects of a circular economy for plastics are evaluated, but the primary focus of the study is plastic recycling, where scalable private sector investment solutions are greatest.
  • Publication
    Undernutrition in the Philippines
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2021-04-30) Demombynes, Gabriel; Mbuya, Nkosinathi V.N.; Piza, Sharon Faye A.; Adona, Ann Jillian V.
    For nearly 30 years, the rates of both wasting and stunting in the Philippines have been nearly flat. For 2019, the rate of stunting among children under five years of age (28.8 percent) was only slightly lower than in 2008 (32 percent)—the prevalence of underweight in 2019 was 19 percent and that of wasting was 6 percent. Based on the World Health Organization’s classification of undernutrition rates, the stunting prevalence of children in the Philippines is of “very high” public health significance. The Philippines’ 29 percent stunting rate places it fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific region, and among the top 10 countries globally. The Philippines’ high levels of childhood undernutrition can lead to a staggering loss of the country’s human and economic potential. The burden on the Philippines’ economy brought by childhood undernutrition was estimated at US$4.4 billion, or 1.5 percent of the country’s GDP, in 2015. Undernutrition robs Filipino children of their chance at a bright future. When viewed through the lens of the World Bank’s Human Capital Index (HCI), the country’s 2020 HCI score of 0.52 predicts that the future productivity of children born today will be 48 percent below what they might achieve if they were to enjoy complete education and full health. Undernutrition in the Philippines: Scale, Scope, and Opportunities for Nutrition Policy and Programming presents a comprehensive, analytical work on this topic. It provides evidence of why it is critical that the government of the Philippines prioritize tackling this persistent challenge. The report assesses the determinants and causes of childhood undernutrition and reviews current policies and programs directed at addressing this problem. Based on these analyses, the report provides recommendations of how national policies and programs can be strengthened to reduce the high rates of undernutrition in the country. It sets out to inform the debate on the causes and potential solutions of undernutrition while identifying high-priority policies and policy commitments for action.
  • Publication
    Carbon Pricing in the Power Sector
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-09-09) World Bank; International Energy Agency (IEA); International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP)
    The number of countries that have announced some type of commitment to net zero emissions has increased very rapidly in recent years, from five in 2018 to over 145 in 2023. Middle and low-income countries must therefore consider policies to both grow and decarbonize their power sectors. A growing number of them are considering carbon pricing instruments (CPIs). However, the path to implementing carbon pricing is fraught with challenges, including financing obstacles, the urgent need to boost supply, and social priorities different from those of more advanced economies with more carbon pricing experience. This report delves deep into the power sector value chain dynamics, demonstrating how well-designed carbon pricing instruments can be instrumental in helping countries reach their decarbonization goals. Focusing on how decisions are made in diverse power sector models in several developing countries, this report establishes that the CPI must be carefully positioned at the right regulation point in the power sector’s value chain—rather than merely adding a burden for the sector. Getting it right can influence everything from power generation options to investment decisions and customers’ behaviors.
  • Publication
    Transforming Philippine Agriculture
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06) World Bank
    Like other rapidly growing and urbanizing middle-income countries, the Philippines is experiencing a structural transformation of its economy. Structural transformation has progressed slowly in the Philippines, however, indicating that Philippine agriculture is not performing to its potential and therefore not fully delivering to the national (and rural) economy. The new strategic vision for the agricultural sector is a food-secure and resilient Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk. This new thinking for accelerating agricultural transformation recognizes both the limitations of and potential for the agricultural sector in the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) context. This report outlines policy and investment options to promote the development of a more diversified agriculture and food system that will enhance the welfare of the rural population and improve food security for the population at large. This report considers the major programs of the department of agriculture (DA) and trends in spending patterns over the last few years, although it is not a comprehensive review of agricultural policies and public expenditures, owing to a lack of data. This report comprises five chapters. Chapter one is introduction. Chapter two provides an overview of the agricultural sector, highlighting important trends over time, the current situation, and challenges. Chapter three reviews programs of the DA and attached agencies, including the major banner programs. Chapter four discusses policy reforms, institutional changes, and investments that have produced transformational change in the agri-food sector in other countries and explores how the Philippines can use lessons from these experiences. Chapter five presents recommendations for future policy directions.