21.8% of agri population obtained land ownership, rights in 2022

Only 21.8 percent of the total agricultural population obtained ownership or rights over their agricultural land in 2022, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In its 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries, the statistics agency said in a report that only 4.3 million of the total agricultural population of 19.68 million owned or had secured rights during the reference period.

Agricultural population refers to individuals aged 18 and above who were members of households with at least one agricultural operator between January and December 2022, as defined by the statistics agency.

Of these, 10.13 million or 51.5 percent are males while 9.55 million or 48.5 percent are females.

Among individuals with ownership or rights, approximately 3.01 million or 70.1 percent are males and the remaining 1.28 million or 29.9 percent are female.

The PSA noted that approximately 29.8 percent (3.01 million) held rights among males belonging to the agricultural population. In the case of females, only 13.4 percent (1.28 million) have ownership or rights.

“This highlights a significant gender disparity, with women being 16.4 percentage points less likely than men to own or have secure rights to agricultural land,” the report said.

On a regional basis, the Cordillera Administrative Region recorded the highest number of agricultural population with a share of 28.6 percent.

“This reflects the region’s strong emphasis on land ownership, which aligns with its cultural and historical practices,” it said.

On the other hand, Bicol posted the lowest proportion of the agricultural population with secure land rights at 16.8 percent.

The PSA also said males significantly outnumber females across all regions. Among females, Cordillera had the highest proportion of agricultural landowners and right bearers with 18.9 percent.

Central Visayas and the National Capital Region followed with 18.2 percent and 17.1 percent, respectively.

“These regions exhibit comparatively stronger representation of women in agricultural land ownership than other regions of the country,” it added.

Regions that are at the bottom of the list are Eastern Visayas (10.8 percent), Bicol (11.1 percent) and Ilocos (11.5 percent).

At the provincial level, Bohol topped the list of agricultural population with ownership or secure rights with 191,867 individuals, followed by Isabela (153,409) and Pangasinan (149,863).

Source: Inquirer

Land parcelization, title distribution increased – DAR

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said land parcelization and electronic title distribution have increased over the past 15 months.

"The record 1.87 percent increase in parcelization and electronic title distribution performance for the last 15 months compared to the record of the prior 15 months gives us a firm hope that we can meet our target," said DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella 3rd. Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella 3rd. Screengrab from House of Representatives

The distribution of e-titles and land subdivision is under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Split) Project of the DAR.

Estrella said they aim to complete the parcelization of the remaining 1.2 million hectares (ha) in five years, which will benefit an estimated 1.074 million farmers-beneficiaries.

From January to October 2023, Estrella said that they were able to distribute 17,379 titles to 16,843 beneficiaries covering 15,817 ha of land.

For 2023, DAR aims to complete the subdivision of about 345,089 hectares of land and issue 134,000 individual titles to beneficiaries.

During a Senate hearing last week, Estrella said that the government's Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program has been "derailed" in the past 20 years but vowed that they will work hard in addressing the situation.

"We are drowning with tremendous problems, but we are still breathing fine, and there are so many challenges, but there's no problem because, with the help of the Lord Almighty, the solutions are within reach," he said.

A review and assessment conducted by the Central Planning and Management Office regarding the target landholdings for the Split Project has revealed the need to intensify field data verification to ensure that individual electronic titles are delivered to qualified farmer-beneficiaries.

"As long as we remain focused on intensifying data verification and consolidation to establish the integrity of CCLOAs (Collective Certificates of Land Ownership Awards) and the data contained therein together with streamlining coordinative mechanisms with partner agencies and providing needed resources for the swift processing and issuance of electronic titles, we will succeed in giving our beneficiaries electronic land titles for their own parcels of land," said Estrella.

Source: The Manila Times

Boosting the Productivity of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries

This paper identifies the benefits and problems in the subdivision of collective land titles in the Philippines.

In particular, it discusses how the parcelization of collective Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CCLOAs) can improve the agricultural performance of farmers.

Baseline survey data from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)’s Project Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment provide evidence favoring to accelerate the subdivision of CCLOAs.

This study encourages the adoption of other rural development strategies, such as farm consolidation, aside from the parcelization of land titles.

DAR must also adopt a modern cadaster and record system to improve the country’s agrarian justice delivery system and efficiently implement the parcelization program.

Boosting the Productivity of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries.pdf

Download PDF • 358KB

Source: Philippine Journal of Development