ASCOT Library Zabali Campus

Agricultural heterogeneity and its implications on agrarian reform in the Philippines – Fiscal policies in Philippine agriculture – Agricultural land taxation and land reform in the Philippines – Goals and consequences of fertilizer policies in the Philippines, 1960-1987 – Pesticide use in Philippine agriculture: a risk/benefit assessment – Policy alternatives in the livestock feed sub-sector: a regional programming model – Rice marketing and prices under Philippine government price stabilization – Export promotional aspects of selected plantation crops: a study on comparative advantage – A multiple discriminant analysis of rural bank performance – Analysis of informal credit arrangements/schemes in eastern Visayas – Philippine informal rural credit markets: efficiency and equity issues. – Rural poverty in ethno-community: an analysis – Social Science research and agricultural development policy: pedestrian views of non-economist.

“Existing policies have considerable effects on the growth and development of the agricultural sector of the Philippines. The analysis of the impacts of these policies on the performance of the various sub-sectors of agriculture, and of this sector in general, is therefore not only an educational exercise for academicians but also a valuable and useful basis for policymakers/ policies. planners in deriving alternative strategies to issues emerging from these policies.
The analysis of agricultural policy issues, and the subsequent formulation of solutions derived therefrom, requires the development of well-trained individuals on the proper use of analytical methods and the establishment of a conducive environment for intellectual intercourse. It also requires the existence of an alternative and efficient research and administrative support staff and a relatively well endowed library. It is through the Agricultural Policy Research Program (APRP) that these requirements were initially provided.
The APRP was a project implemented through a grant by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Agricultural Development Council (ADC) which was later known as Winrock in view of the merger of ADC, International Agricultural Development Service (IADS) and Winrock into one organization. The main objective of the APRP was to build the institutional capability of the Departments of Economics and Agricultural Economics of the College of Economics and Management (CEM) and the Center for Policy and Development Studies (CPDS) in agricultural policy research. This objective was attained through the awarding of research fellowships to UPLB senior staff members and a number of research grants to graduate students/junior staff members of CEM and CPDS. In support of this research undertaking, the program also provided for the purchase of selected equipment and the requisition of library materials, books and journals in agricultural policy studies and related fields.
The succeeding papers represent the major output of the research component of APRP. The policy researches conducted covered various issues of concern under six priority areas which were identified in a workshop last January 10, 1986. These were: (1) data base management, (2) rural poverty and income distribution, (3) effects of macroeconomic policies on agriculture, (4) economics of scale in agriculture and agribusiness policy, (5) rural finance and credit and (6) methodologies for agricultural policy research. It should be noted that these papers have undergone several reviews and revisions prior to their final presentation by respective authors in a final workshop, "Workshop on Policy Considerations for Structural Changes and Development in Philippine Agriculture", held at the Inter- national Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Banos, Laguna, 29-30 March 1988.
It is hoped that this monograph of the workshop proceedings will serve as the basis for providing insights on what needs to be revised, emphasized, included or excluded in the current agricultural policies of the Philippines. Furthermore, it is also envisioned that these initial efforts will encourage the undertaking of more agricultural policy researches within UPLB as well as in other regional agricultural universities/colleges in the country."