713-Article Text-2249-1-10-20220815

Journal of Public Affairs and Development
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
Improvement in Self-assessed Knowledge

and Changes in Farming System Practices
of Climate Field School Graduates
in Bicol, Philippines
1
RUTH ANNE T. RUELOS, 2MACRINA G. UMALI,
2
THERESE R. OLVIGA, 3RUBELYN S. VILLA,
4
ELIEL SEVERINO V. JACOBO, 2MERLYNE M. PAUNLAGUI,
and 2*AGNES C. ROLA
ABSTRACT. Rainfed lowland and upland farmers have less access to

new technologies especially those that would reduce their vulnerability
to climate change. In the Philippines, the Philippine Rice Research
Institute developed a package of technology called “Palayamanan” that
is suited to rainfed sites. This paper presents the results of the study
that disseminated the Palayamanan technology through the climate
field school (CFS) in rainfed areas in Bicol. Thirty-eight farmers from
two barangays of Pamplona, Camarines Sur, and 78 farmers from three
barangays of Milagros, Masbate were the respondents. A five-point
scale was used to self-assess farmers’ knowledge on topics discussed
in the CFS, which were divided into four major parts: climate science,
rice production, vegetable and animal production, and pest and water
management. Weighted means of the farmers’ self-assessed knowledge
scores before and after the CFS were generated. The Mann-Whitney
U method was used to test the significance of the differences in the
pre-and post-test scores. The differences between pre- and post-test
scores were highly significant (at 5% level), especially on the clustered
topics of climate, land preparation and seedling establishment, soil
nutrient management, pest management, and harvesting. Some farmer-
________________________
1
Collaborative Research Development and Extension Services (CRDES) - Phase 2 project,
Center for Strategic Planning and Policy Studies, College of Public Affairs and Development
(CPAf), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Laguna, Philippines
2
CPAf, UPLB, Laguna, Philippines
3
Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology,
Mandaon, Masbate, Philippines
4
Alejandro T. Manaog Elementary School, Hacienda Salamat, Cadlan, Pili,
Camarines Sur, Philippines
*Corresponding author: (+63 49) 536-3455, [email protected]
144 Journal of Public Affairs and Development
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
cooperators shifted from traditional crop varieties to high-value crop,

thus, changing their farming systems from subsistence to commercial.
Farmer-graduates in Pamplona and Milagros have improved self-
assessed knowledge and farm practices of some farmer-cooperators also
changed, resulting in more advanced farm technologies being adopted
in the area. The participants also engaged in new recreational activities
such as backyard farming, which became a supplemental source of
income. There is need to conduct similar study that investigates other
factors or variables that could affect farmers’ participation in the CFS.
The CFS as a mode of extension delivery in rainfed areas is still in its
infancy stage. More funds can be poured into the strengthening of the
curriculum as well as capacitating the agricultural technicians to be
competent resource persons.
Keywords: Self-assessed knowledge, climate field school, Palayamanan,

farming system, Bicol, Philippines
INTRODUCTION
Studies in agriculture give evidence that knowledge plays an

important role in productivity and innovation (Pontius, Dilts, & Bartlett
2002; Manoj, 2013). While students learn in conventional classroom
setting, farmers acquire knowledge through practical application and
skills. They are actualized from application and field experimentation
(Scott, 1998 as cited in Stuiver, Leeuwis, & van der Ploeg, 2003). For
farmers, acquiring knowledge is a continuous process of ‘learning by
doing’ (Giddens, 1984 as cited in Stuiver, et al., 2003).
Agricultural knowledge has a great impact on farming activities,

but these are not evenly distributed. In Mtega, Ngoepe, and Dube’s
study (2016), farming areas are classified as either information rich or
information poor. For instance, the upland areas in the Philippines can
be considered information poor because of technology and information
accessibility problems. Literature on upland information transfer is also
lacking. On the other hand, lowland areas are considered information
rich because the participants have attended farmer forums and summit
workshops.
While knowledge and practices could be acquired, Lwoga

(2010) as cited in Mtega et al. (2016) described two kinds of knowledge
Ruelos et al.: Improvement in Self-assessed Knowledge 145
of Climate Field School Graduates in Bicol, Philippines
that farmers use: indigenous and exogenous. Indigenous knowledge and

practices are traditional and local knowledge in agriculture that farmers
apply. These are common activities practiced and passed down across
generations. The other type of knowledge is exogenous, which could be
acquired from farmer interactions and from different media channels.
Farmer interactions could be from interpersonal communication with
co-farmers or with people from the external environment. It could also
be through other forms, channels, or sources of information such as
television, radio, and formal schooling and training.
One of the ways to increase knowledge of farmers about climate

change and the corresponding adaptation strategies is to conduct a
climate field school (CFS). The CFS is a non-formal type of education
wherein farmers attend schooling (once a week) in makeshift classrooms
in their community for half a day.
The farmer field school (FFS) training programs were seen as

effective strategies in raising farmers’ knowledge (Rola, Jamias, & Quizon,
2002). The CFS is an offset training from the FFS with additional topics
on climate change. CFS aims to lessen the vulnerability of agriculture
to climate change by enhancing transfer of knowledge and information
among farmers and farmer-groups. Through knowledge acquired from
CFS, farmers become more able to adapt farming practices that minimize
the impact of climate-related hazards on farming and improve yield and
productivity. Winarto, Stigter, Anantasari, and Hidayah (2008) stated
that the CFS curriculum teaches farmers to build up resilience in farming
systems. Stigner et al. (2013) as cited in Leippert (2014) acknowledged
that CFS could also change the behavior of participants in a non-directed,
independent way.
Evaluating the knowledge gain of farmer graduates is important

in assessing which topics are relevant to their farming practices and in
determining farming systems suitable to their communities. Moreover,
topics in the CFS curriculum and modules that need improvement can
be identified. Application of climate information could also be improved
through CFS (Boer, Tamkani, & Subbiah, 2003). While numerous
studies on knowledge gain and changes in farming practices have
been conducted, there is scant literature on the knowledge acquisition
of farmers in upland and rain-fed areas in the Philippines, the locale
of this study. Thus, this paper focuses on the self-assessed knowledge
improvement of the CFS farmer graduates in Pamplona, Camarines Sur
and in Milagros, Masbate, Philippines. The objectives of this paper are
to measure the improvement in self-assessed knowledge in both sites;
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
compare this variable between Pamplona, a lowland rainfed community,

and Milagros, an upland community; and document the changes in
farming system practices of farmer-cooperators of the CFS in both sites.
Knowledge Improvement through Climate Field School
Climate field school. The climate field school (CFS) is one of

the innovative channels for information sharing and transfer among
experts and farmers. Understanding climate and its effect to agriculture
is the main objective of the CFS. Adaptation measures related to farming
activities were taught through lectures and technology demonstration
(techno demo) farms. The curriculum adapted for CFS was designed for
18 sessions including activities such as field demonstrations, field day
or learning trip, and graduation. Topics discussed were divided into four
major parts, namely: climate science, rice production, vegetable and
animal production, and pest and water management.
The CFS used the participatory approach in designing the

curriculum by engaging the local officials during the curriculum
development process. A general process flow of CFS in Figure 1 shows the
relationship of the three stages of implementation in the study locales.
In each of the study sites, a unique set of activities was implemented
depending on local needs and aspirations.
Figure 1. Process flow of the climate field school implemented

in Camarines Sur and Masbate, Philippines
Resource Persons
(e.g., agricultural technologists, extension workers, and experts)
Field Facilitator
Techno Demo
Farmer Cooperator
Farmer Participants
Figure 2. Process of knowledge acquisition in the climate field school

(modified from Leippert, 2014)
Agricultural extension services such as the FFS were seen as

effective ways of conveying knowledge to farmers (Godtland, Sadoulet,
Janvry, Murgai, & Ortiz, 2004). Extension services such as the CFS do
not only transfer climate knowledge to farmers but also communicate
information as an approach to bring about behavioral change toward
climate change (Boer et al., 2003). Thus, the CFS curriculum derived
from a participatory stance has location-specific activities.
Farmer participants in the CFS acquire knowledge by attending

the lectures and engaging in practical demonstrations through the techno
demo farms (Figure 2). Agricultural technicians, extension workers, and
experts acted as resource persons and facilitators who deliver lectures
and apply the lessons learned through actual demonstrations. Boer et al.
(2003) stated that extension officers acted as mediators in translating
and relaying climate knowledge and information into farmer language
that participants can understand. Further, handouts were given and
supplemental activities such as learning trips were included in the
curriculum.
A farmer-cooperator, selected in each study area, acted as the

farm manager of the techno demo plot and managed agricultural inputs
provided by the project. This person also served as the leader of the
farmer-participants during the CFS. The farmer-cooperator’s duties also
included reporting problems encountered in the techno demo farms and
CFS sessions to the municipal technologists.
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
Effects of knowledge gain on farmers. Improvement of

knowledge from agricultural extension efforts has affected farmer
participants in numerous ways. There were self-improvement, enhanced
farmer relations and interactions, and greater productivity. Agricultural
extension services such as the FFS were seen as effective ways of
conveying knowledge to farmers (Godtland et al., 2004). The field school
has provided farmers the opportunity to interact with fellow farmers
and extension workers. Moreover, it strengthened the farmers’ decision-
making skills and improved their analytical skills (Mancini, 2005 as cited
in Manoj, 2013; Feder, Murgai, & Quizon, 2003).
Improvement of personal abilities and self-regard was also

investigated as an effect of participating in agricultural extension
activities. In Indonesia, a study reported positive effect on human
capital. The farmers have developed positive self-regard, creativity,
independence, and mutual collaboration (Braun, Jiggins, Röling, van
den Berg, & Snijders, 2006). Duveskog, Friis-Hansen, and Taylor (2011)
have also conducted a study on the impact of FFS on farmer’s well-being.
They said that the increased well-being of farmers has translated into
innovation in their farming technologies. Farmers were empowered.
Changes in farming system practices. The study in Mindanao,

Philippines showed that CFS small-scale farmer participants have
exhibited an improvement in planning and farm management practices
such as choice of crops, land preparation, and timing of planting and
harvest. Other changes were adoption of organic farming, intensification
of the rice system, and establishment of a community seed bank
(Chandra, Dargusch, Mcnamara, Caspe, & Dalabajan, 2017).
Yamazaki and Resosudarmo (2008) also reported that FFS

graduates have improved not only their farming practices but also their
yield performance. Farmers who graduated from the field schools have
significant improvement in knowledge and performance. New knowledge
was obtained and changes in practice were observed such as a decrease
in the use of pesticides. However, the headway was not upheld through
the years, and the high performance has declined. The impact of FFS on
farmers was seen to be short-lived.
The Palamayanan model. The Palayamanan model of

diversified integrated rice-based farming system developed and
established by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is
composed of synergistically compatible farming ventures (Corales et al.,
2005). PhilRice coined the word to encourage farmers to increase not

only their rice yield, but more so their income. The term palayamanan
is made up of two simple words: “palay” – the Filipino term for rice at
any stage prior to husking; and “yaman” – a term which means wealth.
The combined words mean that there is wealth not only in rice, but that
rice can be combined with other high-value crops, livestock, and fish to
generate more wealth. Rice is the major component of the system as it
is the staple food of the Filipinos. Adding high valued vegetable crops,
fishponds, poultry, and livestock on their farms increase income of the
farming households and also assure continuous food supply for the
family.
METHODOLOGY
The project conducted two season-long cycles of CFS in each

province, which lasted for 3-4 months. For this paper, only the second-
year implementation of the CFS (2016-2017) was used in analyzing self-
assessed knowledge scores. The facilitation of CFS in the project sites
was supervised by the local government units (LGUs) and partner state
universities. Agricultural technologists from the LGUs and experts from
the academe served as resource persons. The CFS was designed for 18
weeks with a curriculum patterned after the PhilRice’s Palayamanan
system with the integration of topics on crop and animal production as
discussed earlier. A techno demo farm, managed by farmer-cooperators,
were established in the study barangays. Changes in the farming system
practices of these farmer-cooperators observed during the two-year
project implementation are further reported in the paper.
Primary data were obtained from a set of questionnaires

administered to 38 rice farmers who were CFS graduates from two rainfed
barangays of Batang and Tampadong in Pamplona and 78 farmers from
the upland barangays of Matagbac, Sawmill, and San Carlos in Milagros.
The pre- and post-test questionnaires were used to gather information
on the farmers’ self-assessment of knowledge in the different topics
discussed in CFS, and their evaluation of the CFS and the project itself.
Additional information about knowledge gain and changes in farming
practices of farmer-graduates were obtained from a baseline survey
conducted before the CFS and from interviews with farmer-cooperators
and agricultural technologists after the CFS. There were four farmer-
cooperators in Pamplona, Camarines Sur and five in Milagros, Masbate
interviewed.
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
The questionnaire used a scale in which self-assessed knowledge

was measured using a 5-point rating, where 5 = excellent (napakahusay),
4 = very satisfactory (mahusay), 3 = satisfactory (katamtaman), 2 = poor
(mahina), and 1 = very poor (mahinang mahina). Farmers’ responses
were encoded using the R software. The encoded responses related to
knowledge self-assessment were clustered into eight main topics: 1)
climate, 2) land preparation and seedling establishment, 3) soil nutrient
management, 4) pest management, 5) water management and special
topics, 6) organic agriculture, 7) animal production, and 8) harvesting
and postharvest.
Data were analyzed by assigning weights to each rating in order

to calculate the mean pre- and post-test scores.
Rating Weight
5 (excellent) 0.4
4 (very good) 0.3
3 (good) 0.2
2 (poor) 0.1
1 (very poor) 0
The Mann-Whitney U test is a non-parametric test used for

determining the mean of two different groups. This method was used in
obtaining the mean scores of the knowledge level. To test the significance
level of the difference between the pre- and post-test scores, t-test α
values of 0.1 (10%) and 0.05 (5%) were set.
Description of the Study Sites
Lowland rainfed areas of Camarines Sur. In Camarines Sur,

the poverty incidence registered at 27.1 percent, slightly lower than the
regional level, but nonetheless, indicates a relatively high proportion of
households that were unable to meet basic needs. Further, the proportion
of households in Pamplona, Camarines Sur living below the poverty line
was higher at 32.9 percent (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2014). This
high figure translates to the fact that a considerable number of people,
mostly in the rural areas, were finding it hard to meet their needs for
daily subsistence.
In essence, the economy of Camarines Sur was mostly

agriculture-based in which 29 of the 37 towns are agricultural. From
Figure 3. Map of Camarines Sur
2010 to 2013, coconut production was higher than rice production. This
pattern was reversed from 2014 to 2016.
Coconut production declined beginning 2014, even if the area

devoted to its production remained the same. On the other hand, increase
in rice production was mainly due to the increase in area planted to rice.
The area planted to rice rose from 316.8 thousand ha in 2010 to 351.1
thousand ha from 2010 to 2016.
The municipality of Pamplona in Camarines Sur (Figure 3) was

chosen as one of the study sites due to the presence of rainfed farms
in sloping areas and also due to high level of poverty incidence in the
municipality. The barangays of Batang and Tampadong were lowland
rainfed areas. Farming system in the two barangays was rice-vegetable-
livestock. Rice was grown for two cropping seasons. Common vegetable
crops were eggplant, okra, bitter gourd, squash, and string beans.
Livestock raised were for farm use and source of income such as carabao,
duck, swine, and goat.
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
Figure 4. Map of Masbate
Upland areas of Masbate. The poverty incidence in Masbate

registered at a relatively higher percentage of 40.6 percent. Looking
further at the municipality of Milagros (Figure 4), the poverty incidence
in 2012 was 49.6 percent - a figure that is almost half of the total
population of the municipality. The high percentage of poverty incidence
implies that a great percentage of the population in Milagros had income
that is not enough to meet their daily needs.
Mono-cropping was the main farming system followed by

respondents, and rice was the main crop. Yields were primarily allotted
for consumption and were only sold if need arises or if there were excess
to daily dietary needs. For the disposable income of the respondents,
majority were sourced from livestock and poultry production. From 2006
to 2017, the rice production in the province was increasing. Production
of rainfed rice in Masbate was relatively higher than that of irrigated rice.
The average yield of a farmer, when converted to cash, however, was still
below the poverty threshold.
Upland barangays of Matagbac, Sawmill, and San Carlos were

chosen as location of the CFS. Some farmers in these barangays practiced
rice-vegetable-livestock farming systems. Rice was the main commodity
in the area and other crops such as cassava, corn, and sweet potato were
also planted. Farmers also practiced vegetable production with crops
such as squash, eggplant, mungbean, okra, and white squash. Farm
animals and livestock raised were carabao, swine, and goat; while horses
were used for transporting harvests to the lowlands.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Socio-demographic Profile of CFS graduates
Above 50 percent of the respondents in both provinces were

female. Mostly housewives, female farmers attended schooling more
than male farmers who preferred working in their farms. Female
farmers were also more patient in attending classes and listening to
lectures. According to the farmer-cooperator in Sawmill, she purposely
invited female farmers to participate in the CFS to engage them in a new
recreational and productive activity rather than stay in their homes.
Farmer-graduates from Camarines Sur were relatively younger

than those from Masbate. There were 12 high school student-participants
(Grades 9 and 10) in CFS in Pamplona. These students were from the
adjacent high school in Barangay Tampadong. The interested students
joined the CFS sessions together with their adviser. They belonged to the
15-24 age bracket, comprising 26 percent of the total participants. The
average age of farmer-graduates in Pamplona was 42 years. Meanwhile,
32 percent of the farmer-graduates in Milagros were in the 33-42 age
range. Average age was 43.
Fifty percent of the participants in Camarines Sur reached high

school, whereas most of the participants in Masbate had elementary
level of schooling (38%).
The most common reason for joining the CFS was to have
additional knowledge and information on farming. The farmers believed
that their participation in the CFS can improve their productivity and
income.
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of farmer-graduates

in Pamplona, Camarines Sur and in Milagros, Masbate, 2016
PAMPLONA, MILAGROS,
PARAMETER CAMARINES SUR PARAMETER MASBATE
(n=38) (n=78)
No. % No. %
Sex
Male 13 34.2 Male 34 43.5
Female 25 65.8 Female 44 56.4
Age (years)
15-24 10 26.3 23-32 16 20.6
25-34 3 7.9 33-42 25 32.0
35-44 5 13.1 43-52 15 19.2
45-54 6 15.8 53-62 20 25.6
55-64 10 26.3 63-72 2 2.6
65-74 4 10.6 Mean 43
Mean 42
Educational attainment
Elementary level 16 42.1 Elementary level 30 38.4
High school level 19 50.0 High school level 27 34.6
College level 2 5.2 College level 19 24.3
Postgraduate 1 2.6 Vocational level 2 2.5
(Master’s) level
Agricultural Delivery System and Extension Services

in Camarines Sur and Masbate
The municipal agriculture office (MAO), under the local

government unit, is responsible for delivering agricultural programs
and extension services in the area. The municipal agriculture officer and
agricultural technicians are the leading implementers of the different
banner programs of the Department Agriculture (DA). Table 2 shows a
comparison of the access to agricultural information and delivery system
of extension services in the study areas.
Milagros has a larger land area and a bigger farm size as

compared with Pamplona. However, despite a bigger area for delivery
system of extension services, Pamplona has more extension technicians
Table 2. Comparison of access to agricultural information and delivery

system of extension services between Camarines Sur and
Masbate, 2016
ITEM PAMPLONA, MILAGROS,

CAMARINES SUR MASBATE
Land Area 80.60 km² 565.3 km²
Farm Area 4,682.72 ha 54,746 ha
No. of extension 6 5
technicians
Ratio of farmer to 1:800 for rice banner 1:1000

technician program
Distance from Batang: 1.81 km Bacolod: 2 km

agricultural Tampadong: 4.79 km Cayabon: 2.7 km
extension services Del Rosario: 2.43 km Tawad: 3 km
(from Municipal Tambo: 0.85 km Narangasan: 5 km
Agriculture Office Veneracion: 2.71 km Capaculan: 6.7 km
to barangay study Matagbac: 42 km
sites) Sawmill: 45 km
San Carlos: 52 km
Existing Department of Agriculture’s Department of

agricultural banner programs: rice, Agriculture’s banner
program corn, high value crops programs: rice, corn,
in the area Other programs: Philippine vegetables, cassava
Rice Information System,
farm business school
Availability of Experts from Central Experts from Masbate

expert’s advice Bicol State University Center for Livestock
of Agriculture and DA- Development, Dr.
Regional Field Office V Emilio B. Espinosa Sr.
Memorial State College
of Agriculture and
Technology
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
than Milagros. One technician attends to 800 farmers in Pamplona, while

the ratio of technician to farmer in Milagros is 1:1000. Pamplona has
also more DA banner programs implemented than in Milagros.
Farmers in Pamplona have easier access to agricultural

information and extension services because the chosen study sites were
closer to the MAO. The closest barangay is only 0.85 km away while in
Milagros, extension providers have to travel using motor vehicles (habal-
habal) to the upland barangays. San Carlos, the farthest barangay among
the study areas, is 52 km away from the MAO. Technicians do this just to
reach the farmers to conduct trainings and to provide expert’s advice.
It was the belief that agricultural information and extension services
like the CFS are effective methods in the knowledge improvement and
change in practices of the farmers.
Results of CFS in Pamplona, Camarines Sur
Self-assessed knowledge improvement. A comparison of the

self-assessed pre- and post-test scores of participants from Pamplona
revealed that not a lot of rice farmers have prior knowledge about the
CFS topics. This is despite long years of experience and the knowledge
accumulated through farming practices over time. There were also
farmer-graduates who have attended and participated in the FFS
conducted earlier in the town. The average percentage for the pre-test
was 36.3 percent, which was relatively low (Table 3).
A huge difference was observed in the farmers’ scores after CFS

participation. The farmers’ post-test scores increased in almost all the
clustered topics, especially land preparation and seedling establishment,
and soil nutrient and pest management.
Using the Mann-Whitney U method, with the level of significance

set at 5 percent, differences between pre- and post-test scores were
tested. Results showed highly significant changes in scores related
to climate (U=144.0, p= .000), pest management (U=62.00, p=.001),
land preparation and seedling establishment (U=49.00, p=.001), soil
nutrient management (U=25.00, p=.008), and water management
(U=16.0, p=0.029) and animal production (U=16.0, p=0.029). This
indicates farmers’ self-assessed knowledge gains from these topics after
participating in the CFS. Table 3 also shows that other main topics did not
exhibit statistically significant changes in the percentage of test scores.
Table 3. Comparison of pre-test and post-test of CFS graduates,

Pamplona, Camarines Sur, 2016
CLUSTERED TOPIC PRE-TEST POST-TEST MANN P VALUE

SCORE SCORE WHITNEY
(%) (%) U
Climate 31.3 64.9 144.0 .000*
Land preparation 44.9 72.0 49.0 .001*

and seedling
establishment
Soil nutrient 36.2 68.8 25.0 .008*

management
Pest management 39.8 66.7 62.0 .001*

Water management 31.8 63.1 16.0 .029*
and special topics
Organic agriculture 35.7 63.7 9.0 .100 ns
Animal production 37.0 65.0 16.0 .029*
Harvesting and 33.8 59.4 23.0 .32 ns

post-harvest
Mean 36.3 65.45
*Significant if p value is <0.05 while not significant (ns) if p value is > 0.05
Farmer graduates have significant knowledge improvement on

subtopics under climate change (i.e., its causes and impact on agriculture,
climate of the Philippines, basic meteorology, climate forecast, and
analysis of weather effects) mainly because of its relevance to the
climate hazards that farmers saw in their area. During the second year
of implementation of CFS in Camarines Sur, two strong typhoons have
damaged agricultural crops. The increase in self-assessed knowledge
could also be attributed to the farmers’ exposure to different training
programs and climate fora. Hence, CFS became some sort of a review of
previously acquired knowledge. Also, the results revealed that farmers
possessed technical knowledge in other topics such as pest and soil
nutrient management. Traditional farming practices dealing with these
topics were acquired through years of experience as majority of the
participants were already into farming for more than five years. Practical
application and field experimentation in the techno demo farms also
contributed to the self-assessed knowledge gain. During interviews,
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
farmers claimed that through the CFS, they have significant learnings on
proper application, use, and handling of fertilizers.
Changes in farming system practices. Farmers are expected

to adapt farming activities to changes in climate. Changes in farming
practice such as choosing what crop and variety to plant, deciding what
cultural measures to apply, and managing soil, water, and other resources
were also observed (Winarto et al., 2008). Farming has been a practice in
the study areas for a long time. Majority of the families in the community
came from generations of farmers. Based on interviews conducted among
barangay cooperators from the two provinces, farmers relied mainly on
rice before the project. They described their farming activity as simple
because they only knew about planting of rice and a few vegetables. With
the project intervention, cooperators said farmers were encouraged to
seek new opportunities to try new varieties of rice as well as deal with
such commodities as high-value vegetables and livestock (Table 4).
Table 4. Changes in farming system practices of farmer-cooperators

in Pamplona, Camarines Sur
YEAR PARAMETER No. %
(n=4)
From existing practice To change in practice
1 Farming practice of Farming practice of 2 50
planting rice, corn, and planting rice, corn,
traditional vegetable and high-value crops/
varieties (e.g., okra, vegetables (e.g., carrot,
ampalaya or bitter baguio beans, broccoli,
gourd, squash, eggplant) cabbage)
2 Farming practice of Farming practice of 2 50

planting rice, corn, and planting rice, corn, and
traditional vegetable high-value crops/
varieties (e.g., okra, vegetables (e.g., carrot,
ampalaya, squash, baguio beans, broccoli,
eggplant) cabbage)
Farming system of Shift to diversified cropping 2 50

rice-vegetables system of rice + vegetables
+ livestock
Rice farming as sole Additional source of 1 25

activity for source of income (e.g., livestock
income raising, vegetable
production) and activity
(e.g., backyard farming)
Others also claimed that they practiced what they learned from the CFS
in their backyard gardens, and this has become a productive pastime.
The cooperators enjoyed picking vegetables from their gardens instead
of buying them from the market.
Results of CFS in Milagros, Masbate
Self-assessed knowledge improvement. Farmer graduates

in Milagros did not know much about climate, land preparation, and
seedling establishment before participating in CFS. Table 5 shows that
the average pre-test score was 29.3 percent, which was lower than in
Pamplona with 36 percent. The highest pre-test scores were seen in
traditional farming activities and practices under the clustered topics of
land preparation and seedling establishment (33.2%). The average post-
test score was 71.2 percent.
Table 5. Comparison of pre-test and post-test of CFS graduates in

Milagros, Masbate, 2016
CLUSTERED TOPIC PRE-TEST POST-TEST MANN- P

SCORE SCORE WHITNEY VALUE
(%) (%) U
Climate 46.7 68.1 121.0 .000*
Land preparation 33.2 75.8 49.00 .001*

and seedling etablishment
Soil nutrient management 26.4 71.9 25.00 .008*
Pest management 25.4 71.1 64.00 .000*
Water management 24.8 71.6 9.00 .100 ns

and special topics
Organic agriculture 29.3 69.3 9.00 .100 ns
Animal production 25.4 69.3 16.00 .029*
Harvesting and 23.8 73.2 25.00 .008*

postharvest
Mean 29.3 71.2
*Significant if p value <0.05 while not significant (ns) if p value > 0.05
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
The knowledge scores showed improvement in the topics of land

preparation and seedling establishment, harvesting and postharvest, soil
nutrient management, and water management. The differences between
pre-and post-test scores were tested at the 5 percent level of significance.
Results showed that main topics on climate (U=121.00, p=.000) land
preparation and seedling establishment, (U=49.00, p=.001), soil nutrient
management, (U=25.00, p=.008), pest management (U=64.00, p=.000),
animal production (U=16.00, p=.029), and harvesting and postharvest
(U=25.00, p= .008) were significantly different.
The increase in self-assessed knowledge about climate was

relevant in the area because climate hazards such as droughts and dry
spells were experienced in the project sites. There were delays in the
onset of rains and has affected the agricultural activities of the farmers.
In the case of Milagros, topics on harvesting and postharvest showed
statistically significant results. The subtopics under this cluster are
proper harvesting of vegetables, postharvest handling of vegetables,
roguing, harvest and postharvest technologies for rice, and yield
assessment. Knowledge was obtained from the field demonstrations.
Masbate is known for cattle raising; hence, farmers here already

have a high level of knowledge on animal production. Nevertheless,
the differences in pre- and post-test scores still showed improved self-
assessed knowledge in animal production. In terms of water management,
farmers demonstrated poor knowledge on the topic because of the lack
of irrigation in the area. Only a small portion of Matagbac has irrigation
while the upland communities of Sawmill and San Carlos were purely
rainfed. As to topics on organic agriculture, the test scores did not exhibit
statistically significant differences because the farmers in Milagros
prefer to use synthetic fertilizers.
In a study conducted by Mtega et al. (2016), the factors that

inhibited access to agricultural knowledge among rice farmers in
Tanzania included the following: limited number of demonstration plots,
late delivery of information services, limited number of agricultural
extension agents, and poor information and communication technologies.
These same factors were also observed in Milagros, Masbate, which could
have contributed to the low pre-test scores of the farmer-graduates.
Farmer-graduates in the upland areas of Milagros were very

appreciative of and receptive toward the project. The positive attitude of
the farmers also contributed to the high knowledge gain as reflected by
their post-test scores.
Changes in farming system practices. Changes in farming

techniques by farmer-cooperators were observed in Milagros.
According to one agricultural technologist and barangay cooperator, the
introduction of Palayamanan in the area has changed some traditional
practices of the farmers. One of the cooperators described the project
as being “high-tech,” or more advanced than the other technologies
practiced in their communities.
Farmers said that they are now very conscious of the importance
of following the proper procedures and techniques in farming. The
examples given were the proper propagation of ampalaya (bitter gourd),
proper application of fertilizers using the prescribed amount, and
following plot measurements in crop planting (Table 6). Another change
in practice lessened the number of days devoted to land preparation
because farmers now follow a prescribed schedule. A cooperator also
reported trying a new rice variety, and has planted that same variety for
the duration of the project. Aside from these, farming activities leveled
up because farmers are now able to plant high-value crops aside from the
usual varieties of pinakbet (a native dish that is a mixture of vegetables
such as beans, squash, okra, and ampalaya). They have become more
knowledgeable about animal production and breeding, thus opening
more opportunities for potential income earning activities.
According to one farmer-cooperator, farmers’ habits, hobbies,

and activities also changed. Before, the farmers were into gambling.
When the CFS sessions started, their gambling activities were reduced,
according to a community member.
Comparative Analysis Between Masbate and Camarines Sur

Farmer’s Self-assessed Knowledge Improvement
Comparing the knowledge improvement of farmer-graduates

from both municipalities validates that lowland rain-fed areas are more
information rich than those in upland municipalities. Information-rich
areas have smaller value addition since they have more and easier access
to agricultural information and extension system. On the other hand,
upland areas are considered information poor because of challenges
in delivery system of extension services and inadequate channels of
information dissemination.
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
Table 6. Changes in farming system practices of farmer cooperators

in Milagros, Masbate
YEAR PARAMETER No. %

(n=5)
From existing practice To change in practice
1 Farming practice Farming practice of 2 40
of planting rice, planting rice, corn,
corn, and traditional and high-value crops/
vegetable varieties vegetables (e.g., carrot,
(e.g., okra, ampalaya or baguio beans, broccoli,
bitter gourd, squash, cabbage)
eggplant)
2 Farming practice Farming practice of 3 60

of planting rice, planting rice, corn,
corn, and traditional and high-value crops/
vegetable varieties vegetables (e.g., carrot,
(e.g., okra, ampalaya, baguio beans, broccoli,
squash, eggplant) cabbage)
Farming system of Shift to diversified 3 60

rice-vegetables cropping system of
rice + vegetables +
livestock
Land preparation Lessen number 1 20

practices only include of days for land
cleaning and planting preparation and
in the farm more systematic
planting techniques
Use of fertilizers as a Proper application of 2 40

crop management fertilizers following the
prescribed amount
Traditional Propagation of 2 40
propagation of bitter bitter gourd using
gourd ampalaya net technology
and proper trimming
of leaves
Farmers are into vices Acquired new 1 20

such as gambling activity such as
backyard farming
For both provinces, the self-assessed knowledge improvement

of farmer-graduates varied, depending on the component, but there
were similarities in terms of significant changes in the pre- and post-test
scores, specifically on the topics of climate, land preparation and seedling
establishment, soil nutrient management, and pest management. Table
7 indicates that, through CFS, the level of self-assessed knowledge of
farmer-graduates in Pamplona and Milagros was raised. This increase
could be attributed to the lectures delivered by the resource persons and
experts during the CFS. The use of handouts as supplement to the learning
modules also raised the farmers’ retention of knowledge. Farmers’
practical demonstration and application of lessons learned, especially in
land preparation and seedling establishment up to harvesting, through a
techno demo farm also facilitated learning.
Mean differences between the pre-and post-test scores were

obtained by subtracting farmer scores in Camarines Sur from those in
Masbate. The differences in self-assessed knowledge scores of Milagros
farmers were relatively higher than those of Pamplona farmers possibly
because access to agricultural information was relatively easier in
lowland Pamplona than in the upland municipality of Milagros where
access to transportation and communication is a challenge. More
farmers attended CFS in Milagros because they were very eager and
more motivated to learn. Despite the poor facilities in the area, farmers
in Milagros were appreciative of the agricultural extension services.
They have been hungry for information and farming technologies, which,
in turn, changed their attitudes toward adopting better farming practice.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION
The analysis showed that farmer-graduates in Pamplona and

Milagros have improved self-assessed knowledge as exhibited by the
highly significant differences in their pre- and post-test scores. However,
there were also topics discussed during the CFS that did not result in
significant self-assessed knowledge gains. Some of these topics were quite
new to them while others are not applicable to their farming activities
and practices. In the future, other useful topics for the curriculum are
marketing and farm planning and budgeting, the knowledge gains for
which would contribute to the farmers becoming entrepreneurs.
Table 7. Comparison of pre- and post-test scores of CFS farmer graduates in Pamplona, Camarines Sur and Milagros, Masbate
164
CLUSTERED PRE-TEST POST-TEST

TOPIC Pamplona, Milagros, Mean P value Pamplona, Pamplona, Mean P value
Camarines Masbate Difference Camarines Masbate Difference
Sur (%) (%) Sur (%) (%)
Climate 31.3 46.7 -3.3 .000* 64.9 68.1 -11.4 .000*
Land preparation and 44.9 33.2 -3.7 .000* 72.0 75.8 -12.7 .000*
seedling establishment
Soil nutrient management 36.2 26.4 -2.8 .000* 68.8 71.9 -12.0 .000*
Pest management 39.8 25.4 -1.9 .016* 66.7 71.1 -12.0 .000*
Water management and 31.8 24.8 -12.5 .045* 63.1 71.6 -12.2 .001*
special topics
Organic agriculture 35.7 29.3 -3.7 .031* 63.7 69.3 -12.0 .001*
Animal production 37.0 25.4 -3.3 .002* 65.0 69.3 -10.4 .022*
Harvesting and 33.8 23.8 -2.4 .007* 59.4 73.2 -13.8 .000*
postharvest
*Significant if p value <0.05 while not significant (ns) if p value > 0.05
Journal of Public Affairs and Development
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
Farm practices of some farmer-cooperators also changed,

resulting in more advanced farm technologies being adopted in the area.
Examples included the more systematic and conscious approach in land
preparation. The use of traditional crops has also changed as farmers
tried growing other rice varieties and vegetable crops. The participants
also engaged in new recreational activities such as backyard farming,
which became a supplemental source of income.
Further research is needed. One recommendation is the conduct

of a similar study that investigates other factors or variables that could
affect farmers’ participation in the CFS. For instance, the decision-making
skills of farmers with respect to the adoption of a technology such as
the Palayamanan could be investigated. Other possible research topics
are identifying the factors that influence knowledge gains and change
in practices of CFS farmer-graduates. The information transfer from CFS
graduates to co-farmers or members of the family or community could
also be studied.
The CFS as a mode of extension delivery in rainfed areas is still

in its infancy stage. More funds can be poured into the strengthening of
the curriculum as well as capacitating the agricultural technicians so
they can become competent resource persons. Rainfed areas are not
as accessible to the extension system compared to irrigated areas. but
incentivizing the CFS facilitators and resource persons can bring more
technology information to farmers in these marginalized areas.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors thank the Department of Agriculture-Regional

Field Office 5 for providing the funds to conduct the study. We also
acknowledge with gratitude the contribution of our partners in the field:
the Municipal Agriculture Offices of Pamplona, Camarines Sur through
Municipal Agriculture Officer (MAO) Danilo SA. Bordon, and Milagros,
Masbate through the MAO Vicente C. de Jesus, Jr.; the two local academic
institutions, namely the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture with
Study Leader Celerino B. Llesol and Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial
State College of Agriculture and Technology with Study Leader Dr. Danilo
L. Lamela. We also thank Francis John F. Faderogao of the College of
Public Affairs and Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños
for assistance in data processing.
Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228
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Journal of Public Affairs and Development

Vol. 4: 143-167 (2017), ISSN 2718-9228

Improvement in Self-assessed Knowledge

ABSTRACT. Rainfed lowland and upland farmers have less access to

cooperators shifted from traditional crop varieties to high-value crop,

Keywords: Self-assessed knowledge, climate field school, Palayamanan,

Studies in agriculture give evidence that knowledge plays an

Agricultural knowledge has a great impact on farming activities,

While knowledge and practices could be acquired, Lwoga

that farmers use: indigenous and exogenous. Indigenous knowledge and

One of the ways to increase knowledge of farmers about climate

The farmer field school (FFS) training programs were seen as

Evaluating the knowledge gain of farmer graduates is important

compare this variable between Pamplona, a lowland rainfed community,

Knowledge Improvement through Climate Field School

Climate field school. The climate field school (CFS) is one of

The CFS used the participatory approach in designing the

Figure 1. Process flow of the climate field school implemented

Figure 2. Process of knowledge acquisition in the climate field school

Agricultural extension services such as the FFS were seen as

Farmer participants in the CFS acquire knowledge by attending

A farmer-cooperator, selected in each study area, acted as the

Effects of knowledge gain on farmers. Improvement of

Improvement of personal abilities and self-regard was also

Changes in farming system practices. The study in Mindanao,

Yamazaki and Resosudarmo (2008) also reported that FFS

The Palamayanan model. The Palayamanan model of

2005). PhilRice coined the word to encourage farmers to increase not

The project conducted two season-long cycles of CFS in each

Primary data were obtained from a set of questionnaires

The questionnaire used a scale in which self-assessed knowledge

Data were analyzed by assigning weights to each rating in order

The Mann-Whitney U test is a non-parametric test used for

Description of the Study Sites

Lowland rainfed areas of Camarines Sur. In Camarines Sur,

In essence, the economy of Camarines Sur was mostly

Figure 3. Map of Camarines Sur

Coconut production declined beginning 2014, even if the area

The municipality of Pamplona in Camarines Sur (Figure 3) was

Figure 4. Map of Masbate

Upland areas of Masbate. The poverty incidence in Masbate

Mono-cropping was the main farming system followed by

Upland barangays of Matagbac, Sawmill, and San Carlos were

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Socio-demographic Profile of CFS graduates

Above 50 percent of the respondents in both provinces were

Farmer-graduates from Camarines Sur were relatively younger

Fifty percent of the participants in Camarines Sur reached high

Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of farmer-graduates

Agricultural Delivery System and Extension Services

The municipal agriculture office (MAO), under the local

Milagros has a larger land area and a bigger farm size as

Table 2. Comparison of access to agricultural information and delivery

ITEM PAMPLONA, MILAGROS,

Land Area 80.60 km² 565.3 km²

Farm Area 4,682.72 ha 54,746 ha

Ratio of farmer to 1:800 for rice banner 1:1000

Distance from Batang: 1.81 km Bacolod: 2 km

Existing Department of Agriculture’s Department of

Availability of Experts from Central Experts from Masbate