Policy Recommendation for Different Farmer Typologies in Transition to Agroforestry: Results of a study in Claveria, Northern Mindanao

P.N. Pasicolan (Isabela State University, Cabagan, Isabela), D.B. Magcale-Macandog and M.E.M. Delgado (Institute of Biological Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Despite the evident benefits of agroforestry systems in preventing the continuous degradation of upland areas as well as in meeting the economic needs of farmers, adoption has been poor in target areas. Designing interventions to promote agroforestry technology to certain target clients requires in-depth understanding of farmers’ motivations and the context in which they may yield to a particular kind of persuasion. Developing a farmer typology can help project designers address constraints to technology adoption thereby avoiding wasteful efforts and resources.

A case study combining progressive contextualization and actors in context analyses was conducted among farmers in various tree growing adoption stages in Claveria, Misamis Oriental. The study aimed to establish a farmer typology that identifies constraints to agroforestation and recognizes management goals for farmers in transition to agroforestry. The establishment of appropriate typology of farmers ensures the relevance of policy-formulation for group-specific problems. By identifying the coping mechanisms and management goals of different farmer types, typologies can assist in predicting whether or not certain groups will be able to adopt new technologies. It can also improve the delivery of extension programs with customized projects suited to the objectives, motivations and needs of the targeted stakeholders.

Results of the case study reveal that farmers can be broadly categorized into four types: swiddenists, annual cropping farmers, farmers practicing annual crop-dominated agroforestry system and farmers practicing perennial crop-dominated agroforestry system. The farmers' coping strategies to meet their household food and cash needs in transition to tree-based cropping system depend on the following conditions: land size, land tenure, cash flow, and labor required of the desired system. Their main coping strategies during the transition period are crop combination, cropping arrangement, cropping rotation and opening new area for cultivation. The disincentives and risks entertained by tree growers are the long growth of tree crops, land tenure insecurity, limited land size for tree crops and low price of wood. Management goals of the different farmer typologies are varied including increased farm production, sustained soil fertility, diversified crop combination, secured cash and subsistent household needs, reduced soil erosion and improved environmental services of agroforestry system.

Recommendations for agroforestry adoption vary with farmer typologies. Information campaign on tree growing and soil and water conservation measures, training on agroforestry and tree nursery operation are the recommended measures for the swidden farmers and annual monocroppers. For farmers practicing agroforestry, organization of a more efficient and competitive marketing system for tree products, development of appropriate institutional arrangements for tree products (contract growing, tree growers’ cooperative, harvesting, transport), provision of government support, improvement of physical infrastructure (farm to market roads), and provision of tax incentives for tree growers.

Source: Philippine National Agroforestry Committee, 2003. Papers presented during the National Forestry Congress "Convergence for the Agroforestry Development in the Philippines" November 19-20 2003, Leyte State University, Baybay Leyte, Philippines.