Assessing program effectiveness: the integrated and non-integrated approaches to agricultural development

The productivity, net income level of living and level of satisfaction of integrated and non-integrated assisted swine farmers were compared. The Community Integrated Crops and Livestock Farming System (CICLFS) farmers employed integration as a strategy for agricultural development in Albay province [Philippines] particularly in livestock and feed grains production. Hence its concerns focus on integrator facilities and services such as feed mills, breeding and multiplication farms or stock farms, and a marketing network at the community level to benefit the livestock raisers and feed grain growers. The non-CICLFS farmers employed the non-intregrated or sectoral approach to livestock production. In determining program effectiveness among the CICLFS and non-CICLFS farmer respondents, fo1816ur indicators were analyzed: (1) production/productivity; (2) net income; (3) level of living; (4) level of satisfaction. Results revealed that on the whole the CICLFS program was more effective than the non-CICLFS based on those four indicators. After the implementation of their respective program, the average production of the CICLFS farmer-respondents increased by 102% compared to 22% for the non-CICLFS. In the net income category, the CICLFS farmer respondents earned 26% while the non-CICLFS earned 22% over their previous median net income. The CICLFS had an edge over the non-CICLFS respondents by 15% in the level of living category. All the CICLFS farmer-respondents were satisfied with their program, while only 79% of the non-CICLFS were satisfied with theirs. To sustain the gains in agricultural development its various components should, therefore, be integrated so that farmers can undertake income-generating projects, develop their own program and plans with technical and organizational assistance from government agencies, and thereby improve their production and become self-reli