Interrelationships of sugarcane production system components: the case of Tumalin, Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines
2009
Tindoy, R.M.S. | Lalican, N.M., Philippines Univ. Los Baños, College, Laguna (Philippines). Agricultural System Cluster
This study was conducted to describe the interrelationships among the components affecting the sustainability of sugarcane production systems in Barangay [village] Tumalin, Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines, as a subsystem of the locale's agricultural systems. The study describe the components affecting the whole production systems, documented the interrelationships of the components, and determined the effect of the interrelationship to the sustainability of the sugarcane production system. Interviews as well as the conduct of participatory rural appraisal among the farmers of Barangay Tumalin provided the primary data needed. Secondary data was obtained from the municipal, barangay and organizational records. The interrelationships of these different components of the agricultural system of the locale are found to be very vital in making the sugarcane production system sustainable. The factors identified from the interrelationships of the different components that affect the whole sugarcane production system are: the monopoly of the market; obsolete practices from land preparation to the postharvest and delivery process; uneconomical size of land; practice of burning plant residues; and excessive use of inorganic fertilizer. The interrelationships of these factors resulted to low income derived from the production, inability of the farmers to buy the required inputs for sugarcane production and for the control of pests and diseases; and poor soil condition. Farmers either abandoned, leased or sold their farms reverting them to tenant status again. Trainings and seminar given to the farmers did not address the real problems towards sustainable sugarcane production system.
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