The Philippines is known for its farming and fishing sector in agriculture, making it the 83rd largest exporter of rice in the world in 2021 with 994K dollars rice exported to countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Kuwait (Observatory of Economic Complexity, 2021). Additionally, the Philippines was ranked second as the world’s largest exporter of coconut with around 14.7 million metric tons of coconut produced and exported going to other countries according to a survey (Statista, 2023).
CIDA-LGSP (2003) mentioned that agriculture in the Philippines plays a big role in the economy of the country. It accounts for roughly 40% of the labor force in the Philippines and adds 20% on average to GDP. About 70% of all agricultural output is accounted for by agribusiness, which is the primary source of this industry.
The majority of Filipinos live in rural areas and rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihood. The Philippines is predominantly an agricultural nation. According to recent data, the agricultural sector—which includes the four subsectors of farming, fishery, livestock, and forestry—employs over 25% of Filipinos who are employed. The farming and fishing industries have witnessed the most growth in the Philippines' agricultural sector in recent years. The main export product has been crop production, namely sugarcane, rice, coconut, and bananas. The nation's overall agricultural exports have benefited greatly from the production of fruits, nuts, animal fats, and oils. The main products are livestock, which includes hogs, cattle, and goats; the most popular poultry products are chicken and duck. However, since 2019, the commercial, municipal, and aquaculture sectors of the fisheries sector have experienced poor growth and diminishing export values (Statista, 2023).
Over the years, agriculture has been undergoing changes and development especially in the machinery and other technologies used in farming to address the challenges faced in the said industry. According to Statista (2023), the Philippines' agricultural sector is experiencing slow growth due to the conversion of arable land to residential subdivisions, industrial parks, and resorts. Only one-third of the 30 million hectares is used for agricultural activities. The country's geographical location and vulnerability to natural disasters contribute to this decline. Investments in technology, innovation, production support, and farmer-focused policies are needed.
To address some of the common challenges faced in the agriculture sector, companies have developed technologies that will greatly help the agriculture industry especially the farmers in doing their jobs. As stated by Hedge (2023) in an article entitled “New Technologies in Agriculture: For 2023 and Beyond”, the achievement of sustainability goals in agriculture today depends heavily on advancements in technology. Precision agriculture is made possible by a number of technologies, including sensors, smart irrigation, drones, automation, and GPS and satellite technology. This helps to maximize the use of available resources.
One of the technologies that was introduced for farming is the use of agricultural drones. EOS Data Analytics (2023), mentioned in their article that Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly referred to as drones, are becoming more and more prevalent in the agriculture sector. Drones may survey an area from above and provide information on issues such as pests, illnesses, and a deficiency of vital nutrients. Farmers now have control over the condition of their farms because of this agricultural data.
Increased commercial activity in irrigation and water resource management, cold chain facilities, post-harvest facilities, big data analysis, digital and precision agriculture, seed and crop protection solutions, automated post-harvest facilities, precise weather forecasting, drone technology, crop protection, and renewable energy sources are among the areas that the Philippine government is pushing for future development (International Trade Administration, 2023).
Navarro (2022) wrote in an article that in essence, Agriculture 4.0 is the digitalization of farming practices. Drones, for example, are used to take real-time farm photos and data. This helps farmers determine which areas require fertilizer and pest management, as well as watering, allowing a fleet of agribots to precisely apply materials. Farmers won't have to rely on hand-applying insecticides, fertilizer, and water to entire fields. Rather, they will administer precise amounts of inputs to precisely specified places using drones. Farms may now operate more profitably, efficiently, safely, and environmentally. thanks to these cutting-edge equipment.
More technology is being used in farms by Filipino farmers, who are more advanced and motivated by science than their ASEAN counterparts, notwithstanding their small technological deficiencies. Drones and increased automation are two examples of how evident changes are changing society, yet less obvious technologies are advancing at a faster rate. At every stage of the agricultural supply chain, farmers will probably employ modern AI, analytics, and big data more and more in the future (Radhamani, 2023).
REFERENCES
Coconut production worldwide by leading country 2021 | Statista. (2023, January 25). Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1040499/world-coconut-production-by-leading-producers/
C, R. (n.d.). 6 Ways Technology is changing agriculture in the Philippines. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-ways-technology-changing-agriculture-philippines-radhamani-c
New Technologies in agriculture | 2023 & Beyond. (2023, February 20). https://www.cropin.com/blogs/new-technologies-in-agriculture#:~:text=Technological%20advancements%20are%20today%20integral,aids%20in%20effective%20resource%20utilization.
reNature Foundation. (2022, June 1). Philippines - RENature. reNature. https://www.renature.co/countries/philippines/
Rice in Philippines | OEC. (n.d.). OEC - the Observatory of Economic Complexity. https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/rice/reporter/phl#:~:text=Exports%20In%202021%2C%20Philippines%20exported,of%20Rice%20in%20the%20world
Sergieieva, K. (2023, July 10). Agricultural Technologies & Advanced Ways Of Farming. EOS Data Analytics. https://eos.com/blog/agricultural-technology/
Topic: Agriculture in the Philippines. (2023, July 5). Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/5744/agriculture-industry-in-the-philippines/#topicOverview
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