Comparative analysis of plant diversity, productivity and tenurial security of farms in a CBFM [Community-Based Forest Management Agreement] site in Subic, Zambales, Philippines

The study was conducted to compare the plant diversity, productivity and tenurial security of farms in a Community-Based Forest Management Agreement issued with the Subic-Cawag Upland Farmers' Association in Subic, Zambales, Philippines. Plant diversity was evaluated through field surveys in two distinct lands, i.e., those farms with input support and without input support, and were compared if there was a difference. Individual analysis was done among the five nested plots, i.e., 20x20m plot as perennial, 4x4m plot as intermediates and 1 x 1m plot as underbrush. Among the five plots, plant diversity between areas with input support and without input support was consistently different, the former having the greater diversity. For productivity and tenurial security, a total of 52 farmers were interviewed with respective farm validation: 37 (71%) who received assistance, categorized as 'with input support,' from DENR-assisted projects and partly from the Local Government, and 15 (29%) who did not receive or 'without input support' from government projects but used their personal resources. Farmers' productivity at current conditions indicated that generally they did not benefit much from their farms though financial viability has positive prospects. Based on an ex-post 15-year period at 12% discount rate financial analysis, the group of respondents with farms that received input support had an average Present Value (PV) of PhP 328,582 per hectare, while that without input support yielded a PV of PhP 185,682. Economic situation associated with developing the farms of both with and without input support was also determined using t-test at 95% level of confidence and revealed a significant improvement. The group with input support, however, had a higher statistical significance. To top it all, tenurial security is at stake and cannot be guaranteed because of the increasing industrialization and settlement expansion that has become an invitation to speculators and encroachers. Hence, sustainability cannot be associated alone with tenurial security.