Analysis of coffee-based cropping systems in upland Cavite towards improved sustainability / by Gilchor P. Cubillo.

Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy--Business Management) Philippine Christian University

Includes bibliographical references.

Philippine Christian University

Analysis of Coffee-Based Cropping Systems in Upland Cavite toward Improved Sustainability: GILCHOR P. CUBILLO: Doctor of Philosophy Major in Business Management: Philippine Christian University: 2014-2015: Dr. Mario S. Mecate
While coffee-based farms in Cavite continue to exhibit high levels of productivity and profitability, the government, development planners and other stakeholders and beginning to realize that it is also important to assess the farms in terms of the overall systems sustainability considering that old coffee trees in the province of Cavite are relatively much older than the other coffee-based cropping systems in the country. Moreover, the commodity is facing market and price risks as a result of competition from other producers in the country and the entry of imported coffee, which in the future may result to declining production and profit. Alternative cropping patterns and agricultural production enterprises may also lure coffee farmers to shift to these other farming systems, thus putting the entire coffee industry in the province in the brink of collapse.
These are the reasons why this study was conducted. Specifically, the study aimed to: 1) Characterize the existing coffee-based cropping systems in the three leading municipalities in terms of the physical attributes of the systems and their economic performance; 2) To identify the factors which serve as opportunities to the coffee-based cropping systems that will contribute to the productivity, profitability and sustainability of the systems: To identify external factors which serve as threats to the systems in terms of the extent of damage of effects of these factors to the systems' productivity, profitability and overall system sustainability; To determine if there exist significant differences in the levels of systems sustainability across the three municipalities representing the three types of cropping patterns; and To recommend improved cropping systems appropriate in Upland Cavite and that will provide the farmers with higher production efficiency, better profitability and sustainable systems.
The study made use of the scoring system or scaling and the scores were generated through the Model in Assessing the Sustainability Coffee-Based Systems (MASCBS). The model is a combination of quantitative and qualitative contribution of the individuals systems in the various dimensions contributing to sustainability such as the economic, social, technological and environmental factors. Two groups of respondents were taken as samples — the coffee-based farmers in the three selected municipalities such as Alfonso, Amadeo and Silang and a group of experts comprising of farmers, agricultural economists and engineers and agriculturists or agricultural technicians.
Descriptive statistics were used to present the characteristics of the systems, the economic performance, social contribution, the levels of technology adoption or utilization and the systems' support to environmental protection and preservation. The mean sustainability scores or indices of all the coffee-based cropping systems were computed by dimension and for all the factors combined. After computing the means of the sustainability indices of farms, the analysis of variance was employed to determine if there are existing differences in the levels of sustainability across cropping patterns of cropping systems or represented by the three municipalities.
Results showed that coffee-based farm size was largest, coffee frees were oldest and coffee-cropping intensity was highest in cropping system 1(Alfonso). Man-labor employment was highest in cropping system 2 (Amadeo) while inorganic fertilizer utilization per hectare was greatest in cropping system 3 (Silang) and operating capital was highest in cropping system 1 (Alfonso). In terms of economic performance, cropping system 1 (Alfonso) had the highest total value product of outputs, cropping system 3 (Silang) had the highest production efficiency for the use of both inputs land and labor while cropping system 2 (Amadeo) had the highest fertilizer use efficiency. Cropping system 3 (Silang) had the highest level of profit per hectare and the highest profitability ratio.
As perceived by the experts, economic dimension is the most important external contributor to sustainability of coffee-based cropping systems and that new trade arrangements and technological breakthroughs are the most important factors that serve as opportunities to the systems. Factors under the economic and environmental factors are considered by experts to post the greatest threat to the overall system sustainability of coffee-based farms. Coffee-based cropping systems sustainability (index) as influenced by economic factors differ significantly across system patters or municipalities with cropping pattern 3 (Silang) having the highest. Sustainability indices as influenced by social factors, by technological factors and by environmental factors did not differ significantly across cropping patterns. However, the overall system sustainability (index) considering all the dimensions differ significantly across municipalities suggesting that, indeed, it was the economic dimension that has the greatest influence on sustainability.
The study reveals that all the cropping systems are more or less efficient in terms of production, productivity and they are profitable. Among the three cropping systems, however it is the Cropping System 3 (Silang — intercropping coffee with industrial and commercial crops) which appeared to be the most efficient and profitable, considering the productivity of all the resources/inpus such as land, labor and fertilizer and the degree of system profitability. Silang farms also registered to have the highest sustainability index for economic and social dimensions. Cropping pattern 3 (intercropping coffee with industrial and commercial crops) would appear to be the best cropping system and worth recommending to interested farmers since intercropping coffee with industrial or commercial crops would generate more income for the farmers as most of these intercrops produce the highest value per unit of resource or input used to produce them. However, with cropping system 1 (Alfonso farms — intercropping coffee with industrial/commercial crops, fruit trees and food crops) having the highest sustainability index for technological and environmental dimensions. Combining the good traits of cropping system 1 (Alfonso) and cropping system 3 (Silang), would be a better recommendation. More productive, more profitable and sustainable cropping system may be realized. These good traits of the two cropping systems traits would include expanding farm size, intercropping with additional crops such as fruit-bearing trees and some food crops which are positive attributes of Alfonso cropping system and maintaining efficient use of resources and inputs which are the good characteristics of cropping systems in Silang.
On the basis of the empirical evidence and the results of the analysis of the data as well as the conclusions drawn, stakeholders must provide avenues and opportunities to coffee-based farmers for possible new trade arrangement with local processors and exporters for coffee and its intercrops to add more value on the produce: Prices of output or produce must somehow be protected to give positive signals to farmers and to ensure that their investments and expenditures in their farms may generate more income for them to sustain the management and operation of their farms or expand their production or even diversify through processing their produce. Adjustments in cropping calendars and patterns and changing management and farming practices may be considered to improve sustainability including integrating water efficient crops, crops contributing to soil fertility and preventing soil erosion. Moreover, more intercrops and crop rotation may be adopted to provide a wider variety of products especially high-value crops both for final consumption and processing. Application of technologies designed to further increase productivity is highly recommended. Lastly, appropriate economic incentives such as market opportunities subsidies and price support to farmers and tax incentives to enterprises and industries linked to coffee-based farm products post production systems such as processing and the whole food supply chain would greatly ensure the sustainability of the coffee-based cropping systems.

Submitted to the University Library 07/10/2017 T-6764