Operational Policy for the Development of the Philippine Agricultural Mechanization Index for the development of the Modified Agricultural Mechanization Index (MAMI)

(March 2016 to May 2017)

 

Project Leader: RMC Amongo

Study Leaders: MVL Larona and MKS Onal

University Research Associates II: CIL Ilao; GNL Lalap

Consultants: AN Resurreccion, DC Suministrado and EG Bautista

Funding Agency: Department of Agriculture- Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries

The promotion and acceleration of agricultural mechanization is one of the major flagship programs in agriculture not only in the Philippines but also in the ASEAN region. With the enactment of RA 10601 otherwise known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Act of 2013, the Philippine government is purposively implementing various programs which will accelerate the adoption and utilization of agricultural mechanization technologies in the countryside. Agricultural mechanization index is an indicative measure of the level of agricultural mechanization. In the Philippines, the level of mechanization remains low compared to other ASEAN countries. However, the numbers indicated in the mechanization index may have different considerations in arriving at the level of mechanization of each country. Even in the Philippines, institutions involved in the promotion of agricultural mechanization have different methodologies in expressing the agricultural mechanization index of the country.

This study was conducted to document the methodologies utilized by selected ASEAN countries in determining the level of agricultural mechanization to have a comparative level of mechanization among ASEAN countries. The study also aimed to aid policy and decision makers in making well-informed decisions for the acquisition, distribution and adoption/utilization of agricultural mechanization technologies to accelerate agricultural development in the ASEAN region.

The methodology developed by the study on the determination and computation of the level of agricultural mechanization in the Philippines was adopted and implemented as a national policy by the Department of Agriculture in November 2017.