A Cooperative study awarded as Best Paper at the Philippine Agriculture and Economic Development Association's Conference

The Philippine Agriculture and Economic Development Association (PAEDA) held its 1st International Conference and 51st National Convention last 3-4 June 2021 via Zoom. 

The conference showcased several researches under its 12 parallel sessions. Under the theme, Adaptation and Resiliency Solutions to Disruptions, the paper entitled, "Impact of Cooperative Membership on Technology Adoption, and Production and Marketing Efficiency: Evidence from Selected Coffee Producers in the Philippines" won the Best Paper Award. The paper was authored by Assistant Professor Liezel S. Cruz, Director of the Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED), and co-authored by Dr. Agham C. Cuevas, Dean of the College of Economics and Management (CEM), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

The study aimed to assess the role of cooperatives in enhancing technology adoption and production and marketing efficiencies of coffee farmers in the provinces of Cavite, Benguet, and Mountain Province in the Philippines. The empirical results showed that an average farmer would adopt 0.12 more technologies, be 11.42% more efficient in production, and generate PHP 42.60 more income per marketing and processing spending if the farmer was
a cooperative member. The factors that positively affect technology adoption were having cooperatives as buyers and access to credit, price, and a concrete farm-to-market road. Determinants that positively influenced technical production efficiency were being female, numbers of production technologies adopted, and types of coffee species planted. Meanwhile, the variables that positively affect marketing efficiency were having cooperatives as buyers and access to price. On the other hand, female farmers and those that sold to cooperatives had a higher tendency to become cooperative members than their counterparts. Other factors that influenced organizational membership were accessibility and numbers of technology adopted, types of coffee variety, and active search for the price.

The study recommended policy support for the establishment and
strengthening of cooperatives, and the promotion of cooperative membership to improve the adoption of coffee-based technologies among coffee farmers and make them more production- and
marketing-efficient. AMQuilloy

Photo and Layout by: Assistant Professor Renen Szilardo C. de Guzman, Department of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship (DAME), CEM, UPLB

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