Farm mechanization level eyed at 4 HP/ha

The Department of Agriculture (DA) expects to increase the present farm mechanization level of the country to four horsepower per hectare (HP/ha), by the end of the year.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the country’s agricultural sector is “getting there,” citing data which showed the industry is close to hitting three HP/ha from only .75 HP/ha in 2010.

Alcala also noted that despite the modernization plans of the agricultural sector, no farmers would be left jobless as the agency’s program is geared towards enhancing and building the capabilities of farmers to be service providers.

“Aside from providing state-of-the-art machines and facilities, we will provide farmers’ trainings on how to operate these hightech equipment and how to run a business,” Alcala said.

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (Philmech) earlier said Filipino farmers have started to embrace farm mechanization amid labor displacement issues.

Philmech added that farm mechanization does not only lower production cost of rice and corn but it has also become a means to keep and attract younger farmers into the industry.

The increase in farm mechanization could make Filipino farmers as competitive as their counterparts in Thailand and Vietnam, it said.

The DA continues to distribute farm equipment and facilities to cities and provinces in the Philippines as part of the government’s thrust to reach the rural communities, farmers’ groups and associations.

It recently turned over P24 million and P2.4 million worth of facilities and farm projects to Butuan City and Zamboanga del Sur, respectively.