Productivity of Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC) in Samar

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the productivity, sustainability and feasibility of the strategies used, on the different projects and programs of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) in Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC) in Samar, from 2000 to 2012. The research also employed other data gathering instruments such as unstructured interviews, documentary analysis and actual observations. These methods were used to describe, record, analyze, interpret and certain some facts in order to come up with a substantial and meaningful study. The first five problems encountered by the ARBs relative to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program were: Rank 1, lack of financial farm capital; Rank 2, lack of farm inputs (fertilizers, insecticide, pesticides, etc.); rank 3, lack of farm machineries (hand tractor, thresher); Rank 4, lack of water pump in areas with no irrigation - Calbiga, Gandara; Rank 5; lack of farm to market road (from Sitio Galutan to Gandara proper). the productivity of the ARBs in terms of income was influenced by the locally funded projects in an inverse relationship. On the other hand, the locally funded projects did not significantly influence the productivity of ARBs along off-farm and non-farm endeavors.  The productivity of the ARBs in terms of income influenced by the foreign funded projects did not significantly influence the productivity of ARBs along off-farm and non-farm endeavors. Thhe ARBs encountered problems relative to Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program which need to be addressed by the implementers and other concerned. For the recommendation, a sequel study may be conducted considering other areas to assess the implementation of the program and the productivity of the ARBs.