| dc.description.abstract | In the middle of 1996, a group of 20 fanners in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, formed
an organization called the Claveria Land Care Association (CLCA) under the support and
patronage of the International Centre for Research on Agroforestry (lCRAF). The
objective of the organization was to promote the use of contour plowing through a
farmer-to-fanner approach. By the year 2000, the CLCA had members in 105 sitios while
the absolute number of adopters of contour plowing has almost doubled from the
previous number of adopters. The CLCA is credited for the phenomenal rise in fanners
that have switched to contour plowing in Claveria.
This study investigates the CLCA phenomenon by: (1) documenting the events
.leading to fanner awareness of soil erosion problems.in Claveria and the options available
to combat them; (2) documenting its evolution from a low-key fanner organization to a
high-profile promoter of soil conservation; (3) determining the characteristics and
activities of the CLCA sub-chapters that made significant influence on adoption of contour
plowing; (4) determining the characteristics of the farmers who perceive themselves as
members of the CLCA; (5) determining the parcel and fanner characteristics that influence
adoption; and (6) identify the future challenges that the CLCA sitio-based organizations
face.
Using primary data collected from a survey of274 randomly-selected farmers from
45 sitios in the municipality of Claveria, a probit analysis was done to determine the
statistical association between perception of membership, and the farmers' socio-economic
characteristics, ties with the community and participation in community activities, The
probit analysis was also utilized to test the statistical relationship between adoption of
contour plowing, and the variables farmers' socioeconomic traits, parcel characteristics
and perception of membership. The results indicate that attendance in cross-visits and sitio
meetings, and those that lived close to Claveria are more likely to perceive themselves as
members of the CLCA. Further, number of parcels tilled by the farmer, attendance in
training and sitio meetings, slope of the parcel tilled, and the area of the parcel have a
significant statistical association with contour farming adoption.
The study also found that the CLCA lacks self-sufficiency in funds generation and
needs to lock down on the membership selection criteria and benefits in order to sustain its
activities in the future. The CLCA's mechanism for participatory governance and
democratic selection of its leaders is well in place.
The results and insights gained from the findings of this research paper are relevant
for policy makers and development project designers in creating programs and schemes
aimed at catching the "elusive" adopters of technology -- traditional farmers from the
developing countries. | en_US |
