Optimization of Farm Income of Communities Vulnerable to Climate Change Conditions

Abstract

With the growing concern over climate change impacts locally and globally, the need to take action to adapt and mitigate its consequences are becoming essential. The Philippines with agriculture at its backbone is considered to be much vulnerable to these effects. Rice production, which needs much water, is in danger. Marginalized rain-fed farmers are especially highly susceptible to this. The use of linear programming is of practical importance specifically because resources are always scarce and constrained. With the primary objective of optimizing farm income of marginalized farmers in the context of linear programming, this study primarily designates what crop/s is most optimal instead of rice during drought conditions exacerbated by climate change. Crop alternatives to rice include cassava, corn, mungbean, peanut, sweet potato, and taro/gabi. These crops can thrive under drought conditions and were most commonly cultivated by farmers in Baybay and Albuera, Leyte. Most of the marginal rain-fed rice farmers resided in these areas. Samples were selected following the non-probability sampling technique employing snowball sampling. Results showed that cassava and sweet potato are optimal alternatives to plant given the constraints. Results also revealed that with pronounced drought brought about by climate change, prevalence of poverty among farmers served as limiting factor hindering high farm productivity and income. It is recommended to put emphasis on policies that increase access of farmers to financial assistance to fund their farm operation as well as the irrigation system since increase in budget and water availability, respectively, would consequently increase farmers’ income.