Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Donio's Fields.
Donio tills one rice field and two corn fields (Fig. 1.6).
R
ICE
F
IELD
. The rice field with an area of 2070 m
2
(0.207 ha, 0.511 acre) is just at
the back of their house. At a market value of P100,000 to P150,000 ($1902.59 to
$2853.88)
†
per hectare, the area can sell for P40,000 ($761.04) at most. Because the
farm is rainfed, Donio can plant rice only twice a year.
Donio is a lessee of this farm owned by a Manila, the country's capital, resident.
The owner has a caretaker who comes to the village during harvest to collect the
rent. As lessee, Donio pays a fixed rent of three sacks of tipasi (Cebuano
§
for newly
harvested rice), regardless of yield fluctuation. However, in the case of an extremely
bad harvest, rent is negotiated. Rent is to be agreed upon by the lessee, the landowner,
and the Department of Agrarian Reform after determining the average harvest in three
cropping seasons.
M
AIZE
F
IELDS
. Donio has two maize fields. One has an area of 6580 m
2
(0.658 ha,
1.62 acres). The other has 6900 m
2
(0.690 ha, 1.70 acres). Both farms are owned by a
resident of Hibunawan and could sell for about P100,000 ($1902.59).
From the smaller rice farm, Donio shares 50 percent of the harvest with the owner.
His 50 percent is further divided by two because Donio is a sublessee. Thus Donio gets
only 25 percent net share of the harvest. Donio gets a “fairer” deal with the bigger farm
because he is the lessee. He shares the net harvest only with the owner, who gets 50
percent. The owner provides nothing other than the land.
O
THER
C
ROPS
. Aside from rice and maize, Donio has banana and cassava (Mahinot
esculenta, a root crop presented in Chapter 3) planted in some areas around his larger
corn field; see Figure 1.6. In the yard at his house he has a patch of sweet potato
(Ipomea batatas), which he raises for ganas, the young leaves that are prepared as veg-
etable. He also has a few gabi (Colocasia esculenta), which is another root crop. It does
not appear that Donio applies any improved management practices to these crops, even
though his banana plants are affected by tibak or bugtok, a bacterial disease caused by a
strain of Ralstonia solanacearum.
Rice Farming Practices.
Donio plants only rice in his rice field, which is rainfed,
and so he plants in January and June or when it rains. Controlling the amount of water in a
rice paddy is important in obtaining a good yield. Because he is dependent on—or at the
mercy of—rain, Donio cannot control the amount of water in the field, which may remain
flooded when it needs to be drained or remain dry when water is needed by the crop.
Nelson L. Caba ˜a is the extension agent assigned in Barangay Hibunawan where
Donio lives. He has been encouraging Donio and other farmers to follow new techno-
logical practices. Donio, however, does not follow these recommendations because he
does not have the resources. For example, choice of seeds is the first step in any
†
Using a conversion rate of P52.56 per dollar, which was the conversion rate on May, 30, 2006.
§
Cebuano is the dominant language in Visayas, including Baybay, and Mindanao regions of the Philippines
and is Donio's language. Other local names, as indicated, are also Cebuano.
