Socio-Economic Analysis of Organic-Seed Production in the Province of Tarlac Rationale: The expanding market for our local government

is a catalyst for the expansion of the local production. Apparently, it is imperative for a change in the technology adopted in order to cope with the increasing demand for agricultural products worldwide. In relation to this, the maximization of seed piece production would answer the problem of unsustainability of food supply over time. In order to expand our local seed piece production, innovations and adoption of a more suitable and appropriate production technique by local farmers must be considered. Organic farming is one of these prevalent trends in agriculture that can stimulate production thus enhancing profitability and sustainability of seed piece production in the country. However, the willingness and ability of farmers to adopt a new method in production is significantly dependent on their perception about it. Due to the dynamism of the environment, local farmers are faced with the decision whether or not to adopt the new technique and what kind of practices will be most effective and suitable for their farms. Thus, their choices would depend on the kind of incentive or motivation that they foresee from these practices. In order to assess the sustainability of seed piece production in the province, it is imperative to look into the socio-economic characteristics of farmers engaged in seed piece production as well as their production practices. Likewise, the factors that influence the traditional production practices of farmers as well as their ability and willingness to adopt organic farming should be given the same emphasis. OBEJECTIVES The general objective of this study is to analyze the traditional seed-piece production practices of local farmers in Tarlac and its profitability relative to the organic farming practices by the local farmers. The specific objectives are: 1. Determine the socio-economic profile of local farmers engaged in seed piece production using traditional and organic farming as well as their production practices. 2. Determine the socio-economic factors that influence farmers attitude in the adoption of organic farming. 3. Assess the profitability of seed-piece production in the area using the traditional production practices vis--vis organic farming. 4. Ascertain resource productivity and change in organic seed piece production relative to traditional farming. 5. Formulate policy recommendations based on the findings of this study. METHODOLOGY

This study will use a cross-section data to be gatheres from farmers engaged in seed-piece production in the province of Tarlac. A sampling frame can be obtained from the provincial government of Tarlac and Department of Agriculture. This would serve as a basis in the determination of the total sample size appropriate in the study. A stratified random sampling would be utilized to determine the samples. The sample respondents would be drawn from all major producing towns in Tarlac in such a way that the whole province would be well-represented. Socio-economic profiling on farmers would be done using questionnaires. A pre-survey on the area would also be done to determine data accessibility. Focus group discussion would be conducted among the local farmer-representatives. In order to analyze the relationship of the socioeconomic factors to the adoption of traditional production practices, descriptive statistics would be used. The respondents would be classified according to the production practices adopted. In order to determine if there is a significant difference in the socio-demographic characteristics of farmers adopting organic and traditional farming, t-test will be used. Likewise, to assess the profitability of seed-piece production, cost and return analysis will be utilized. A Cobb-Douglas production function would be used to evaluate resource as a measure of farm production efficiency. The dependent variable is volume of seed piece production while independent variables include quantity of labor in mandays/ha, amount of organic fertilizer used as well as inorganic fertilizer and the area of land planted. The regression coefficient would be estimated using the Ordinary Least Square Method.

1.

Instrument Name: Residence: Length of Residency: Age: Educational Attainment: Household size: Religion: Educational Attainment/training in seed piece production Organizational Affiliation: Technical Assistance received from government and private institution Length of Farming Experience Tenurial Status Average annual family income On-farm (per coping season) Non-farm (per month) Total land area planted Reasons for engaging in seed-piece production 2. To determine the production and management practices of seed piece producers. Method of production Inputs used (on a per hectare basis) kind of fertilizer used, pesticides, seed (variety), Quantity Organic and inorganic Fertilizer (per hectare) and frequency

Multiple cropping Type of soil Conduct Soil Analysis Land preparation Planting and harvesting season Population per hectare Irrigation management Number of planting season per year (cropping cycle) Volume of production per hectare Labor (Family Labor or non-Family Labor) 3. To assess the profitability of Okra production in the area using the traditional production practices. Cash and Non-cash income Family Labor income Non-cash receipt (family/HH consumption) Cash expenses for hired labor and fertilizers, planting materials Family labor Non-cash cos (opportunity cost of operator and family labor, depreciation cost of tools and equipments, plus the imputed of seeds used)