Rural Farmers

The Philippines, like other developing countries in the Southeast Asia, is primarily a farming and fishing nation. Huge plots of land cover the large islands that make up the archipelago. Among its neighbors, the country is one of the producers and consumers of rice, a mainstay of staple Philippine diet. Alongside it, Philippine farmers also grow a variety of products such as corn, sugarcane, and tobacco.

Many farmers, who live in the country’s heartlands hundreds of miles away from major cities, do not have access to the kind of quality education received in these developed areas. While some do have the credentials of finishing a simple college degree, there are those who have failed to attend school altogether. Whether it be brought about by extreme poverty or otherwise, these farmers just skip school and to go out to the fields to feed a nation.

In many parts of the world, science has equipped farmers with the right knowledge to make the most out of their fields and their experience. They have used this information to produce as much food as possible while still maintaining high levels of quality and safety. But the Philippine farmer, mostly due to poverty, does not have access to such advancements. Many farmers still grow food the old way. It may have worked many years ago, but the nation is growing in population. Pressure is rising and tradition simply can't support the demand.

A tour around the numerous farms and fields around the country will show the apparent lack of technological advancements in agriculture. Instead of driving around in huge tractors, Filipino farmers rely on the age-old carabao to plow through their fields. Not only does this animal do much less work than a modern machine, but it also gets tired and moves a lot slower. During harvest, what can be done through machines is compromised with numerous hands from the family.

Accompanied by a lack of knowledge in investment and prudence, many Filipino farmers are left with traditions of the past, while facing problems of the present and most probably the future.

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