CAPSULE PROJECT PROPOSAL

PART 1. BASIC INFORMATION

1. Study Name: TRACKING THE LEVEL OF RICE MECHANIZATION IN THE

BICOL REGION: DETERMINING IT’S ADOPTION CAPABILITY
AND EFFICACY

2. Proponents: JULIUS C. MARISTELA

Science Research Analyst
Philippine Rice Research Institute
Batang, Ligao City Bicol

ANTHONY ROMEO S. RIVERA

Science Research Assistant
Philippine Rice Research Institute
Batang, Ligao City Bicol

JEAN ROCHIELLE F. MIRANDILLA

Science Research Specialist 1
Philippine Rice Research Institute
Batang, Ligao City Bicol

3. Budget Requirement: 815,000

PART 2. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

1. Rationale

Farm mechanization was considered to one of the prime movers of agricultural

development. It significantly reduces drudgery; increases farm productivity and
reduce postharvest losses. Looking at the aspects of farm profitability, mechanizing
farm operations was highly advised when manual labour became more costly than
utilizing agricultural machines. Studies suggest that farm mechanization can reduce
the cost of production in a substantial level.
Compared to other rice producing countries like Thailand and Vietnam, Philippines
has the highest production cost per kilogram of palay. Realizing since farm
operations in rice production are just the same, the use of farm machineries was
viewed to be one of the differentiating factor.
Mechanizing farms in the Philippines become utmost necessary as the ASEAN
Integration approaches realizing that farmers and the industry were far ready for a
global competition. Recognizing mechanization as an effective way to reduce the cost
of rice production, the Department of Agriculture, through the enactment of the
 Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Act (RA 10601), promoted the development
and adoption of modern, cost effective and environmentally-safe agricultural
equipments. Documentation of the current status of farm mechanization was
necessary to help the implementing agencies and policy makers effectively deliver
the programs and services stated in the act. Thus proposing this study.

2. Objectives

 To determine the level of mechanization in the different rice areas in Bicol

Region.
 To discover the different factors that enables or hinders the rice
mechanization in Bicol.
 To document the specific agricultural machinery that rice farmers in Region 5
needs.
 To determine the level of adoption of farmers in Region 5 to the new
technologies.
 Age distribution of rice farmers adopting new technologies and modern
agricultural machinery.
 To document if the level of mechanization in Bicol has a significant effect to
its production per hectare.

3. Review of Literature
Agricultural Mechanization embraces the use of tools, implements and machines for
agricultural land development, crop production, harvesting, preparation for storage,
storage, and on-farm processing. It includes three main power sources: human,
animal, and mechanical. (Rijk) Mechanization is now essential for rice production
and processing. If farmers want to intensify their cropping, they need to speed up
the operations that are labor-intensive when conducted manually.(AfricaRice)
As a result of globalization and liberalization, the mechanization of the farm becomes
utmost necessary because to have a comparative cost advantage of the farming
practices. With the implementation of the modern farming machinery, the cost of
cultivation may be reduced to a substantial level.(Roy and Bezbaruah, 2002).
In spite of the various advancements in mechanization technologies, the level of
agricultural mechanization in the Philippines in terms of available mechanical power
in the farm is still low at 1.68 hp/ha (Rodulfo & Amongo, 1994) compared to other
Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and China. In the Philippines, there are three
major levels of mechanization according to UPLBBAR,2001. These are as follows:
1. Low mechanization which means that the operations are done with the use of
non-mechanical power source such as man and animal.
2. Intermediate mechanization which means that the operations are done with the
use of non-mechanical power source in combination with the use of a
mechanical power source operated by man.
3. High mechanization which means that the operations are done solely with the
use of mechanical power source operated by man.
A fourth level considered is full mechanization, which means that the operations are
done with the use of mechanical power source with limited human intervention such
 as computerized machines or robots.(Amongo,2011)
Low mechanization level means that manual power used exceeded 33%. Fair means
that animal power utilization ranges from 34% to 100%. High means that
mechanical power utilization ranges from 67% to 100% (Rodulfo, et. al, 1998).
The level of mechanization in rice farming operations, expressed in three main
sources of power, namely: manual, man-animal and mechanical. Human power
dominates farm operations at an average of 56.53%. Mechanical operations are
applied mainly in milling, threshing or shelling, land preparation, and planting.
Animals continue to dominate land preparation. Sun drying is still preferred by
farmers. In terms of available power expressed as horsepower per hectare (hp/ha),
the level of mechanization stands at 1.68 hp/ha (Table 2). This is relatively low
compared with other neighboring countries. The reason for this is the abundance of
manual labor, which dominates the use of human power in rice cultivation activities.
The high hp/ha of power tillers and threshers indicate that the use of mechanical
power in land preparation and threshing is increasing. Irrigation, harvesting, and
drying have low hp/ha level.( Level%20of%20Mechanization.html)
Mechanization of agriculture is an important factor promoting to higher output of the
agricultural farm and thereby increasing the profitability of the farming practices.
Mechanization of farm is expected to generate enormous development opportunities
for the agricultural sector. (Ghosh)

4. Expected Outcome
 Determined the level of agricultural mechanization in the different rice
producing provinces and municipalities of Bicol Region.
 Identified the factors why farmers in the different part Bicol fail to mechanize
their farm operations.
 Identified the specific ways to fast track the mechanization in every provinces
of Bicol Region.
 Documented the age distribution of farmers adopting new technologies and
farm machineries in the rice producing provinces of Region 5.
 Identified the specific effort of the government to further implement
mechanization in Bicol.
 Acknowledged the view point of common farmers in the implementation of
agricultural mechanization
 Identified the specific machinery to be introduced that can operate at its
optimum capacity and efficiency under Bicol’s farming condition
 Evaluated the capability of the provinces of Region 5 in adopting highly
advance rice farming equipments in terms of providing after-sales service,
repair centers, and local fabrication

5. Planned Activities To Achieve Outcomes:

Level of Mechanization (Phase 1: Albay and Catanduanes, Phase 2:
Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, Phase 3: Masbate and Sorsogon)
1. Prepare survey questionnaire
1.1. Farmer
1.1a. Socio-demographic and farm profile
 1.1b. Machine ownership, Technical know-how and feedbacks
1.1c. Farmers’ recommendation on what specific farm equipment they
need
1.1d. Farmers’ view on the implementation of agricultural
mechanization
1.1e. Reasons why they fail or start to mechanize their farm
operations
1.1f. If utilizing farm equipment, do they find it productive and
profitable
1.2 Farm machinery business establishments and repair centers
1.2a. Business Profile
1.2b. Terms of payment
1.2c. List of Machineries offered and fabricated
1.2d. Average number of specific farm equipment units sold per year
1.2e. Most sold farm equipment
1.2f. Machines obtaining the highest demand for the last five years
1.2g. Capability to provide after-sales service and repair, if so, what
are the farm equipments they can troubleshoot and repair
1.2h. Profitability and sustainability of the business enterprise
2. Evaluate, review and edit the survey questionnaire
3. Coordinate with DA RFO5, BAS, PAS/OPAG, PLGUs and MLGUs
4. Data Gathering (Initial, from the partner agencies)
4.1. Different rice producing municipalities
4.2. List of rice farmers and locations
4.3. List of Farm Machinery dealer, supplier, fabricator, and repair
centers and its business address
5. Conduct survey
6. Validate the rice area
7. Encode and consolidate the data gathered
8. Evaluate and analyze the result
9. Prepare and present the result of the study in the implementing agencies

Correlation of level of mechanization and production per hectare in irrigated

lowland
1. Choose a 2000m² irrigated area with the same topography, soil type and
availability of water
2. Prepare 2 rice paddy with 1000m² each, separated with a thick bund
3. Perform the farm operations (in land preparation, transplating, harvesting
and treshing) using manual labor in the first paddy and agricultural machinery
in the second paddy
4. Same date of establishment, same amount of fertilizer and timing, same
variety used and same crop care will be practiced on both setups
5. Collect crop cut
6. Harvest when 80% of the grain was ripe
7. Gather the weight and MC of the harvest of both setups and compute its
yield at 14%MC
 8. Compare the harvest data and write the result
9. For the profitability, compute the net income of both setups then compare
10. Replicate the setup for the next season

6. Stakeholders involved in project

PhilRice Bicol
DA RFO5
DA BAR
PLGUs
MLGUs

7. Impact
Through the data obtained, the implementing agencies and policy makers will have a
clearer and wider view on the status of agricultural mechanization. Thus, they can
now effectively formulate specific programs and projects promoting agricultural
mechanization in Albay. Advance and location-specific machines which are efficient
and durable in Albay’s farming condition can be introduced. Service and repair
centers which will provide after-sales service then be strategically established for the
ease of access of the farmers
The PLGU’s and MLGU’s will know what particular agricultural equipments to procure
to cater the needs of farmers which cannot afford to purchase agricultural machines.
If the implementing agencies become active and forceful in implementing the
programs and project that boost and advance the adoption of farm mechanization,
though we are late compared to our neighboring countries, we can still catch up, as
said by Dir. Bingabing, executive director of PhilMech.

8. Budget Requirement

DETAILS OF EXPENSES Year 2017

Travel expenses 300,000
Communications 15,000
Office Supplies 50,000
Salaries and Wages 350,000
Farm inputs 50,000
Equipment rental 30,000
Contingency 20,000
TOTAL 815,000