Philippine E-Journals

Land-Use Conversion Rice Production and Food Security

GAY S. PIA

 

Abstract:

As the world population increases drastically, the land-use conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses is massively observable in highly urbanized cities. The study was conducted to describe the impact of the land-use conversion on rice production and food security in Butuan City from 2014 to 2016. The city has a total land area of 81,728 hectares with rice production areas of 8,141.44 hectares which is 10.038 percent of the entire land area. It also investigated the Local Government Unit support on the development and thrust and policy support, the profile of the land use classification, farmers’ distribution, rice field conversion rate, rice production through harvest, and food security in terms of price and stocks. The results of the study revealed that there were already 89.031 hectares of agricultural land permanently converted to non-agricultural use. Rice production in the city could not sustain the daily rice requirement to its population, and rice farmers are quite dissatisfied with the provision and programs of the city government. It was recommended that the Local Government of Butuan City should review the City Zoning or land use plan and adapt Agricultural Land Protection Program that would ensure farmers’ productivity and food security in the city.