The Central Luzon Loop Survey: Rice Farming in the Philippines from 1966 to 2021

Abstract

AbstractThe Central Luzon Loop Survey in the Philippines is one of the longest-running and ongoing household-level farm surveys in tropical Asia. This chapter reviews the changes in rice farming from 1966 to 2021, with a particular focus on the past decade. The data show that rice yields have stagnated and become more variable despite a prompt and continuous switch to newer modern varieties with an appropriate nitrogen application level since the Green Revolution. This implies that the Green Revolution-type agricultural development is at a crossroads. As background factors, this chapter reviews how the adoption of labor-saving technologies, mechanization, and farm size have changed over time under increasing rural labor scarcity. A subjective assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on rice farming is also discussed.