Thesis (BS Agribusiness Economics) University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2024

The increasing demands for rice leads to the intensification of production often compromising sustainability, such as with the use of synthetic inputs. Various institutions have been promoting the adoption of organic farming as a sustainable practice that could potentially address issues of food security, without the expense of environmental degradation and health issues. However, even with the interventions from various institutions, the adoption of organic rice farming is low. Thus, this study aims to identify factors that affect the adoption of organic rice farming among rice farmers. The factors such as socioeconomic characteristics were explored. Using the 220 observations, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors that significantly affect adoption. The results show that those who have higher non-rice farm income, have received training on organic farming, have a higher likelihood to adopt organic rice farming. However, high production costs and longer experience in rice farming, lead to a lower likelihood of adopting organic rice farming. Therefore, it is recommended for the institutions, especially policymakers to implement programs that could assist farmers in their adoption such as training and subsidies. It is also recommended that involvement of the social circle and youth engagement must be integrated into outlining strategies for improving adoption.