Cultivating rice in the Philippines is often portrayed as an extremely difficult activity that leaves most farmers in debt or impoverished. There is truth to this, especially when the history of tenant farmers in the Philippines is concerned. However, more than 1/10th of the Philippine population is currently engaged in rice cultivation, something that simply would not be the case if rice farming did not have some benefits.
Below are some of the reasons why many Filipino farmers stick with rice farming and why others want to get into it.
1.) You Might Prefer Life in The Countryside
Most people who have experienced life in both the countryside and city life will probably choose the former if money and jobs were not an issue.
While farming is a difficult and sometimes stressful job, the stresses tend to be more manageable than they can be in the city. There are no commutes or dress codes, you get to spend time in nature, youâll sleep better, and you usually get to enjoy the company of your family as they work with you on the farm.
With some exceptions, people in the countryside tend to be friendlier and more open, which can make it a better match for some individuals. The cost of living tends to be much lower so that most of the income you earn could be saved or invested in rice seeds, machinery, and other farming essentials, rather than spent on rent, distractions, and other living expenses.
2.) You Get to Enjoy a Healthier Lifestyle
If youâre interested in having a meaningful and healthy lifestyle, rice farming should certainly be at the top of your list. Even if you donât necessarily enjoy living in a rural area, chances are, you will have clean air, fresh and nutritious food, and plenty of opportunities for meaningful exercise. While there are certainly exceptions to any of those points, rice farmers, by and large, live healthier lifestyles than city dwellers.
Most Filipino rice farmers tend to have meals made with produce and raised and grown in their own backyards, and these tend to be superior in freshness and nutritive value compared to what you could typically get in a supermarket. Farming is also a highly physical activity that requires a lot of walking and lifting, which means farmers are often much more physically fit than urbanites. The low density of vehicles and factories on farmland also generally means farmers are also less likely to experience respiratory illnesses from these sources of pollution.
3.) Rice Farming Is Meaningful
Finding a meaningful job can help you become happier and more fulfilled. If youâre in the search of a life filled with meaning, itâs hard to do better than becoming a rice farmer.
The Philippines is one of the worldâs largest consumers of rice per capita. Rice is intertwined in our culture even as waves of urbanization have resulted in close to half of the country living in cities. Even today, rice is more than a carb in the Philippines. It is woven into our customs, languages, and psyche as a part of our countryâs soul
Becoming a rice farmer makes you part of the Filipino community in a fundamental way, and makes you vital to our nationâs present and future. In other words, rice farming can be your means to a better, greater purpose in life.
4.) It Can Be Profitable
Rice is often set distinctly from âhigh-value cropsâ or HVCs, precisely because, generally speaking, rice shows comparatively lower profitability per crop. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), most rice farmers get a net return per hectare of PHP 16,832, whereas HVCs for the export market like bananas could get up to PHP 800,000.
However, unlike many HVCs, the demand for rice is extremely stable and not dependent on fickle foreign markets, geopolitical uncertainties, or changing consumer preferences. You can be relatively certain that you will never run out of a market for your product. Additionally, production is extremely scalable, which means additional hectares are often more profitable due to the farmer being able to use the same tools and assets.
Whatâs more, an average net return per hectare of PHP 16,832 is nothing to sneeze at if itâs all profit either. This represents a net-profit cost ratio of 0.40, which means you can earn P140 for every 100 pesos you spend. A 10-hectare farm can reasonably expect net revenue of P600,000-800,000 annually, assuming it grows a popular rice strain and has 4 planting cycles a year. This is not counting the revenue from other crops that could also be grown alongside rice.
This scalability, flexibility, and guaranteed domestic demand are some of the biggest reasons why some farmers go all-in on rice farming. When done right, it can be a very profitable activity as well.
5.) Rice Farming Offers Unmatched Job Security
If youâre a city person and constantly in fear of losing your job over one missed quota or some arbitrary metric, becoming a rice farmer might be a good choice. After all, rice is a relatively forgiving crop with high demand and decent profitability per hectare. If youâre not interested in hopping from job to job just so you have a steady income, rice farming is one of the best possible things to get into.
These are just some of the reasons you may want to try out rice farming. While planting rice is not without its struggles, it does have some real benefits that make it worthwhile. If youâre interested in rice farming, you can check out various resources from the Philippine government for more context, resources, and ideas.
