Alternative social arrangements and agricultural landscape for large-scale mechanization in corn production areas in Isabela, Philippines

The study analyzed the alternative social arrangements and physical transformation of the agricultural landscape for implementing land clustering and large-scale mechanization. There were 75 randomly selected respondents, composed of 60 and 15 farmers of clustered and non-clustered farms, respectively from three barangays [villages] of Cauayan City, Isabela [Philippines]. The alternative social arrangements for clustering and large-scale mechanization were the stakeholders' participation, information dissemination for farmers' project awareness and understanding, involvement in cooperative activities, arrangements on boundaries, synchronized farm operations, use of farm inputs, and marketing and inputs arrangements. The physical transformation of the agricultural landscape were the setting sizes of clusters and the corresponding number of farmers, removal of farm boundaries, and movement of legal property markings for efficient use of farm machines, and widening farm trails for farm roads. The alternative social arrangements and the physical transformation of the agricultural landscape made land clustering and large-scale mechanization economically viable. The significant variables that influenced farmers' participation in clustering project were age and years in farming, involvement in cooperative activities, information/awareness about the project, opportunity provided to understand project, and farm size. Larger farms were more likely to join clustering and custom services. Significant impacts of land clustering with custom services in comparison with non-clustered farms were: a) higher corn production per hectare due to better tillage and precise application of inputs, increase in number of corn plant population with the use of planter and the removal of farm boundaries, b) reduction of production cost per hectare due to lower input expenses, and c) increase in income per hectare. At 12 percent interest rate, benefit cost analysis showed that project on clustering and custom services for land preparation and planting was economically viable. The environmental impacts as observed by farmers focused on increase in corn plant population, increase in area for corn planting, reduction of weeds, and improvement of soil fertility. Constraints encountered in clustering project were farmers' reluctance to remove boundaries and non-movement of legal property markings due to apprehensions on property delineations, limited farmer-clients of planting and harvesting custom services, farmers' different preferences in use of inputs, and labor displacement. Farmers were ambivalent or undecided on the provisions of land consolidation because of the lack of understanding and information on its strategies and benefits. The project clustering should implement intensive participatory approaches to increase farmers' awareness of the project benefits and to encourage participation. Labor displacement should be addressed through the establishment of alternative income opportunities for farm laborers.