Pro-directly OD rice farming in the Philippines: patterns and sources

Higher output growth was observed during wet and dry seasons of 2001-2006 and 2002-2007 compared to that of 1996-2001 and 1997-2002. Wet season rice production grew by 22% from 2001 to 2006 while dry season rice production rose by 14% from 2002 to 2007. The use of non-conventional inputs is central to observed increase in production since 2001. Results indicate that irrigated farms had 76% higher production than rainfed farms.Farmers who participated in rice production training had a 4% higher production than those who did not. Farmers who used hybrid varieties and third generation modern inbred varieties had a production advantage of 18% and 5%, respectively, over those who used traditional and farmer-named varieties. In addition, farmers who used high quality seed had a 6% higher production. Farmers who own tractors and threshers had 5% higher production compared to those who rent machines. When the uses of non-conventional inputs were accounted for in the analysis, results reveal a declining contribution of the residual total factor productivity to the growth in production. Policymakers should consider the use of non-conventional inputs in designing a program to increase the country's rice production. The uncertainly in the world market and the increasing reliance of the Philippines in rice imports compel the government to increase the domestic production. Knowing the patterns and sources of rice production growth in the recent years can provide insights to alternative ways of rice production growth in the recent years can provide insights to alternative ways of increasing rice production in the immediate future.This study examined the sources of rice production growth in the Philippines from 1996 to 2007. A translog production function was estimated using a generalized instrumented variable estimator. Using this framework, the contribution's to production growth of conventional and non-conventional inputs were separated from the growth in residual total factor productivity.