The study noted that the increase in the availability of non-agricultural jobs figured as a major pull factor in the out-migration of farmworkers.

THE NEDA headquarters in Pasig City. A study released by the agency said that a bigger number of workers are moving out of the sector as opposed to those who choose to stay or move into it.

A study published by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has disclosed the prevalence of out-migration in agriculture — the transfer or movement of agricultural workers into the industry and services sectors — especially among young and educated workers.

Titled “Rural Labor Migration: An Analysis of the Loss of the Labor in the Agriculture Sector in the Philippines,” the study cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which indicated that net employment in Philippine agriculture, hunting, and forestry (AHF) sector has been on a downtrend since 2010. It reported that a bigger number of workers are moving out of the sector as opposed to those who choose to stay or move into it.

The agricultural employment loss in 15 out of the 17 regions in the country was substituted for jobs that do not necessarily pay high wages but offer a relatively stable income stream, non-wage benefits and better working conditions.

Further, the study confirmed that internal push factors that drive workers out of agriculture include rising production input costs (particularly labor), low farm gate prices, land conversion, limited access to credit and output markets, poor management of irrigation systems and changing agro-climatic conditions.

The study noted that the increase in the availability of non-agricultural jobs figured as a major pull factor in the out-migration of farmworkers.

The cost of jobhunting has also been declining with the advances in communication technologies and government initiatives like the establishment of public employment service offices.

Also, public investments in education and training, together with cash transfers, have enabled younger family members to finish schooling and hence, acquire better-paying jobs outside of agriculture.

Unfavorable on-farm working conditions have also prodded workers to seek non-farm employment.

The study has therefore suggested that an inter-agency committee for agro-industrial development should be convened to formulate region-specific and national strategies for effective design and implementation of cross-cutting programs that affect agricultural development.

“One of the immediate measures is to address coordination failures between and among government agencies, particularly those that implement cash transfer schemes,” the study pointed out.

It also claimed that the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) has inadvertently caused permanent and temporary migration out of agriculture.

There were reports of CCT program beneficiaries opting not to work in the fields during the period of release of cash transfers.

The study noted that the timing of the payout and the number of cash transfers relative to the amount of income from agriculture mattered.

Many farm operators cited labor shortage when the release of CCT payout coincided with the planting and harvesting seasons.

The study noted that some beneficiaries invest cash transfers in non-farm activities to supplement or substitute for farm income.

“The challenge of boosting farm productivity requires smart policy responses. Without these, most farming systems will remain underdeveloped,” the study said.

The study notes the importance of schemes like land consolidation, cooperative farming, and machinery pooling systems that afford economies of scale and synergies to make the most out of agricultural resources while democratizing productivity gains.

Other short-term measures identified are to enhance agricultural market information systems to complement other marketing strategies and to build the resilience of the agriculture sector through better technologies.

Meanwhile, in the medium to long term, measures that may be explored include the development of high-value by-products of traditional crops, increased investment in storage and logistics, incorporation of agriculture into the elementary and high school curriculum to engage the youth in farming as well as the development of investment instruments.