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An Assessment of the Relationship Between Financial Literacy and Farm Productivity of Sure Aid Program Farmer-Beneficiaries in Naic, Cavite, 2023
No full textImproving farmers\u27 financial literacy is essential for enhancing farm productivity while ensuring proper utilization of agricultural loans plays a crucial role in fostering prosperous farming. It is important to determine the relationship between financial literacy and the farm productivity of farmers in a loan program. This study aimed to assess the relationship between financial literacy and farm productivity among SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries in Naic, Cavite. The objectives were to: 1) describe the socio-economic and farm characteristics of the SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries in Naic, Cavite; 2) determine the financial literacy level of the SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries in terms of their financial knowledge, financial behavior, and financial attitude; 3) identify the factors affecting the SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries’ financial literacy level; 4) assess the loan utilization rate and farm productivity of SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries; 5) determine the relationship between financial literacy and loan utilization of the SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries; 6) determine the relationship between loan utilization and farm productivity of the SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries; 7) determine the relationship between financial literacy and farm productivity of the SURE Aid Program farmer-beneficiaries; and 8) draw recommendations based on the results of the study. The necessary data were gathered through personal interviews of 69 rice-farmer respondents using pre-tested questionnaires.
Descriptive statistics were presented to describe the characteristics of the respondents along with their financial literacy, loan utilization, and farm productivity. The relationship between the farmer- beneficiaries’ socio-economic characteristics and their financial literacy level was determined using multinomial logit regression. While correlation analyses were utilized to explore the association between financial literacy, loan utilization, and farm productivity.
The study revealed a low level of financial literacy among the SURE Aid Program farmer- beneficiaries. The socioeconomic characteristics of the farmer-beneficiaries did not significantly influence
their financial literacy level. Most respondents fully utilized their loans, primarily for palay farming, although a substantial portion diverted fundsfor other purposes. The average farm productivity in Naic was lower compared to the provincial average. There was an inverse weak relationship between overall financial literacy and loan utilization. However, no significant relationships were found between financial literacy components and loan utilization, loan utilization and farm productivity, and financial literacy and farm productivity. Based on the results, the study recommends improving financial literacy, loan utilization, and enhancing agricultural practices to boost farm productivity among the farmer-borrowers. The recommendations include encouraging farmers to participate in financial education programs, availing of financial services, and adopting appropriate farming techniques
Relationship of Marketing Capabilities and Marketing Innovation : Evidence from Woodcarvers of Paete, Laguna
No full textMarketing innovation refers to the use of fresh marketing strategies that significantly alter how products are packaged, placed, promoted, and priced. Moreover, considerable changes in aesthetic designs, enhanced product packaging, new mass media, new pricing, and new sales methods are all part of marketing innovation (Onwumere & Ozioma-Eleodinmuo, 2015; Stošic, 2007; Talegeta, 2014). In fact, a firm\u27s marketing activities change in a variety of ways as a result of marketing innovation. Marketing capabilities on the other hand, was defined by Weerawardena (2003) as the integrative procedures intended to apply the firm\u27s collective knowledge, skills, and resources to the business\u27s market-related needs, enabling the business to enhance the value of its products and services and satisfy competitive needs.
Marketing capabilities, especially in customer service, promotional activities, salesperson, and market research, has a significant correlation with marketing innovation of a company (Potocan, 2013). Marketing capability influences all types of innovations pursued by the firm. It also proposes specific firm competencies that can lead to innovation opportunities in a firm\u27s path to sustainability. Past research suggests that marketing capabilities may play a critical role in the development of marketing innovation-based strategies.
This research concentrates on the relationship of marketing capabilities and marketing innovations of woodcarvers of Paete, Laguna.
The woodcarvers of Paete, Laguna were chosen to be the respondents of this study. Various difficulties were faced by Paete, Laguna\u27s woodcarvers. Some of these are the limited competitive local market, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the limited market opportunities for some of the SMEs. To counteract the effects of these challenges, local wood carvers developed certain marketing strategies such as turning to the internet to market their works. With this, it is essential to identify the other marketing innovations utilized by the woodcarvers in Paete, Laguna. It\u27s also critical to ascertain their marketing capabilities and how those capabilities impacted the development of their marketing innovations. According to Habito et al. (2014), there is also room for improvement and a shift in perspective in the way woodcarvers market their wood products.
From the 137 total population of woodcarvers of Paete, Laguna as of 2019, only 102 were chosen as the respondents of the study. Convenience sampling technique was utilized to select the respondents. They were surveyed using survey questionnaires to determine their marketing capabilities and the marketing innovations they developed in their businesses. Furthermore, a quantitative research approach was adapted and the data gathered from the respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. As a requirement in PLS-SEM, assessment of the measurement and structural model was conducted. Assessment of measurement and structural model in PLS-SEM is important for evaluating the validity and reliability of the model. Cronbach’s alpha, Dillon-Goldsteim’s rho, first eigenvalue, and second eigenvalue were used to check the reliability and validity of the constructs and model. The assessment of the structural model can help the researcher to evaluate systematically whether the hypotheses expressed by the structural model are supported by the data. The structural model can only be analyzed after the measurement model has been validated successfully. In assessing the goodness of fit of a structural model, R squared, Mean Redundancy, Average Variance Extracted (AVE), and Goodness-of-Fit measures were used. Since PLS-SEM was employed for the analysis of data of this research, bootstrapping was utilized to test the hypotheses. Bootstrapping is a nonparametric procedure that allows testing the statistical significance of various PLS- SEM results. For this study, the p-value approach of testing the hypothesis was also conducted.
Considering the analysis and findings of this study, it was found out that most of the marketing capabilities of the woodcarvers of Paete, Laguna have significant relationships with their marketing innovations. Using the bootstrapping in testing the hypotheses, the results show that Customer Service has a positive significant relationship with New Pricing Strategy and New Retail Concepts. In contrast, it was found out that Customer Service has a negative significant relationship with New Promotional Concepts. Moving forward, Sales have positive significant relationships with New Pricing Strategy, New Retail Concepts, and New Promotional Concepts. Similarly, Market Research has a positive significant relationship with all of the marketing innovations. However, only New Promotional Concepts have a positive significant relationship with promotional activities. The two remaining marketing innovations, which are New Pricing Strategy and
New Retail Concepts, showed no significant relationships with promotional activities. The findings of this study are consistent with the previous study of Potocan (2013). It was investigated in the study of Potocan the correlation between marketing capabilities and innovation and it was found out that there’s a moderate correlation between marketing capabilities and innovation. Results suggest that marketing capability influences marketing innovation. The study of Mensah & Quaye (2019) also proved that marketing capabilities can help in developing marketing innovation. This study concludes that SMEs managers and owners who possess key relevant marketing resources and capabilities are able to develop marketing innovation to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. The results of their study bring out a positive relationship between marketing capabilities and marketing innovation, in which this paper has also presented.
This study comes to the conclusion that woodcarvers with skills and knowledge in several marketing capabilities are capable of creating marketing innovations. To increase the development of pricing strategy, retailing, and promotion innovation, woodcarvers need to have essential knowledge and skills in marketing capabilities.
On the basis of the study\u27s findings, recommendations for Paete, Laguna\u27s woodcarvers and researchers were proposed. The woodcarvers of Paete, Laguna, need to maintain and even advance their expertise in various marketing capabilities. Evidence from the marketing literature (Vorhies et al., 2010) has demonstrated that marketing capabilities have a significant role in determining how well an enterprise performs. Woodcarvers can do a number of things to increase their knowledge and proficiency in marketing, such as attending marketing seminars, speaking with marketing experts, and networking with their peers to broaden their knowledge of the latest innovations in the field. Additionally, enhancing their marketing skills was advised in order to generate innovative retail and promotional marketing, particularly on digital platforms. Woodcarvers were also recommended to do the marketing innovations mentioned in the survey questionnaire of this since the results showed some of them do not apply or incorporate those innovations in their businesses. Lastly, woodcarvers might want to think about other marketing innovations that were not covered in this study, like modifying and enhancing their product designs and packaging to satisfy the continuously changing needs and preferences of end users. Moving forward, future researchers can concentrate on reassessing the industry in order to ascertain why there isn\u27t a significant link between promotional activities and new pricing strategies and retail concepts. Additionally, by learning about the demands or preferences of the customers, researchers might help them create novel strategies for marketing innovation. The results of this study can serve as the foundation for new investigations with the same context by future scholars
Choice, Usage, and Perceived Value of Online Food Delivery Services among Metro Manila Residents
No full textTechnology is developing rapidly and with that comes digitalization, wherein tasks that one would have to do physically a few years back can now be drone at any time and practically anywhere with a few clicks of button. This was made possible by digital platforms and online spaces. E-commerce has been a trend and has become a nom, especially with the limitations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and this includes online food delivery.
Despite the world easing back to normal, online food delivery services are projected to have continuous usage and the industry expects a steady growth in the revenue and customer base. The industry being relatively new, especially with its recent emergence, only has limited studies on it especially in the Philippine setting. In line with that, this study aims to establish the consumer profile, determine their choice, usage, perceived value, as well as perceived gaps and pain points in using online food delivery services for their improvement and further development.
Home to business districts and schools in the country, Metro Manila was the focus of the study to capture the diverse population and usership sample. Respondents were obtained through an online survey that they participated in voluntarily. The study used both quantitative and qualitative means of obtaining and analyzing data.
The respondent profile is diverse across the demographic criteria but with the younger population dominating thus, much of the income/allowance are on the base level. However, results showed that despite this, they are still willing to spend on online food delivery services with the convenience that it gives them. Moreover, they are also willing to make bigger purchases for self consumption. Most items purchased are ready-to-eat meals, especially during snack/merienda, dinner, and lunch. Groceries are not as commonly sought after as meals.
Grab Food and Food Panda are the dominant players among Metro Manila residents in both awareness and usage. Local online food delivery companies appeared to be underutilized and they may have to have better promotional strategies and wider reach, like the top brands to expand their consumer base.
Prior to using these services, most had hesitations which are mainly related with their legitimacy and security, which may explain why Cash on Delivery (COD) is the most preferred payment method as it can better ensure transaction fulfillment. The dominating factor that pushed them into using the services is convenience which also coincide to be the benefit that most get out of online food delivery services. As such, convenience is given the highest importance amongst other attributes. Quality of food and reliability are also valued by the respondents, but the registration process is the least important.
When it comes to the perceived value of these attributes, payment method is the most positively evaluated while the refund process is least regarded. The cost or price cluster had the lowest evaluation as a cluster and this may mean that the users find online food delivery can be expensive. This was also the leading reason why they would trade using the app with physically going to food establishments.
While the respondents are generally happy and satisfied with what online food delivery services are offering, there are still gaps and areas for improvement that they pointed out. Most of them are on vouchers, discounts and deals. Others would like to see improvements in the quality of food and the services. Furthermore, there were mentions of improvements and feature suggestions in their platforms such as tracking or monitoring, multi-establishment delivery, communications with riders and establishments, among others.
Specific recommendations to further improve the customer experience include transparency of companies, having websites, TV commercials, collaborations with influencers, authentication or confirmation of booking per transaction regardless of the order is for one self or for others, tracking and monitoring or orders, setting an estimated delivery time and and trainings for riders and kitchen staff
Factors Affecting the Credit Constraint Condition of Rice Farmers in Victoria, Laguna
No full textAgricultural credit plays a crucial role in agricultural productivity and yield. This is especially crucial in the Philippines as it is known as an agricultural country. Even through there are studies showing its significance, there are still numerous factors that affect farmers\u27 access to credit. Credit constraint hinders an individual\u27s access to credit. If a farmer is credit constrained, it can affect their agricultural productivity, technology adoption, and household outcomes (Omolade & Adepoju, 2019). The study focused on the factors affecting the credit constraint condition of rice farmers in Victoria, Laguna. Specifically, it aimed to (1) Present the socio-economic characteristics and credit profiles of rice farmers; (2) Discuss the rice farmers\u27 experiences and expectations when it comes to formal and informal credit; (3) Determine the perceptions of the farmers regarding the accessibility and availability of formal and informal credit; (4) Analyze the factors that affect the rice farmers\u27 access to credit in terms of credit constraint; and (5) Provide insights and recommendations for rice farmers, LGUs, and credit providers to better improve formal and informal credit access.
This is significant as lack if capital, insufficient profits, rising price of inputs, and natural calamities continue to affect rice farmers in Victoria, according to the Municipal Agriculture Office. To add, it is also important to increase agricultural productivity and yield to improve food security and sustainable agriculture to cater to the growing population of the municipality.
Eighty two rice farmers in Barangay San Benito, Victoria were interviewed with the aid of questionnaire. Questions regarding the socio-economic, farm, and credit profile of the respondents were asked. Respondents also shared their experiences and problems when accessing credit, as well as their perception on the accessibility and availability of credit in the area. The core analytical tools used in the study were descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and logistic regression analysis. Descriptive analysis was used to present the socio-economic characteristics and credit profiles of rice farmers, to discuss the rice farmers\u27 experiences and expectations when it comes to formal and informal credit, and to determine the perceptions of the farmers regarding the accessibility and availability of formal and informal credit. Factor analysis was used to analyze the underlying factors that produce a correlation among the different variables of the perceived availability and accessibility of credit. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to determine the significant factors that affect the credit constraint condition of the farmers.
The results of the study show that majority of the respondents are male, married, and have high school degrees. The average age of a farmer in the area is 55.07 years old. The average household size of the respondents is three to four people, with an average of one dependent. Majority of the farmers have a monthly agricultural income of Php 10,000 and below, have no yearly savings, and have other means of earning. Furthermore, the results show that the average farm size of the rice farmers in Barangay San Benito is 3.5 hectares, and majority have a farm size of more than one hectare. The average farm experience of rice farmers is 33.48 years, with majority being in the industry for more than 10 years. Half of the respondents are tenants of the farm. In terms of credit profile, more than half of the respondents have borrowing experience. Formal and informal credit sources are almost equally preferred by farmer-borrowers with experience in both credit sources. It is common for farmer-borrowers in the area to borrow from both credit sources. The formal credit sources farmers have borrowed from include banks, microfinance institutions, and cooperatives. The informal credit sources commonly borrowed from include relatives, neighbors, individual money lenders, and others. The average amount a farmer borrows per loan is PhP 37,312.5. More than one-third (36.6%) of respondents are reported to be credit constrained. This shows that there are still rice farmers in the area that are credit constrained, which means there is a need to further increase their access to credit.
Results of the factor analysis show that informal credit sources are more available and accessible as compared to formal credit sources. Moreover, even though informal credit sources are available and accessible in most aspects, it is not socially accessible. This means that there is still discrimination when accessing informal credit facilities. Additional results show that formal credit sources are not available, which means that they are non-existent in the area. There are also correlations between the farmers’ perception on the availability and accessibility of formal and informal credit. Findings include (1) Availability of informal credit sources and physical, financial, administrative, and information accessibility of informal credit sources are highly correlated with each other, (2) Physical, financial, social, and information accessibility of formal credit sources are highly correlated with one another, (3) Social accessibility in informal credit sources is not correlated with any of the other variables, and (4) Availability of formal credit sources is not correlated with any of the other variables.
Results of the logistic regression analysis showed that the significant factor affecting the credit constraint conditions of a farmer in Barangay San Benito is farm status. Owners of the farmland are less likely to be credit constrained as compared to tenants and other farm statuses.
The researcher recommends minimizing the number of steps in the loan process of formal credit facilities, minimizing increase in interest when overdue, and making the list of requirements and information about the different loans available more accessible to farmers in order to encourage them to loan. As the study area’s agricultural productivity and yield is affected by natural calamities very often due to its geography, credit sources in the area can also partner with government institutions to create a government guarantee program wherein the government will assume liability for a farmer’s loan in case of natural calamities affecting their farm. It is also recommended for the formal credit sources to put up more facilities in the barangay to increase the availability of formal credit in the area and to create additional loan programs wherein requirements can be adjusted such as no collateral or having other collateral substitutes aside from land. It is also recommended for informal credit sources who are in the business of lending have a standard treatment to their borrowers, regardless if there is trust between the two or not. Furthermore, for national and local and government units, seminars and programs can be made to encourage farmer participation in the financial market through educating them on the benefits and importance of agricultural credit to agricultural productivity, and the effects of being credit constraint. Improvement and implementation of different agricultural policies specifically aimed at farmers with different needs can also be done to further feel the effects of the policies
Value Chain Analysis of Pili Nuts (Canarium ovatum) in Sorsogon, Philippines
No full textValue chain performance evaluation of the pili nut stakeholders in Sorsogon province was the objective of this study. Specifically, it intends to (1) characterize the key players in the pili nut value chain; (2) identify the relationships amongst the participants of the chain; (3) evaluate the performance of pili nut production in terms of its costs and profit, marketing, and value-adding activities at the different stages in the value chain; (4) determine the possible problems and challenges at each level of the value chain that affects the performance of the pili nut industry; and (5) formulate strategies to address the problems and challenges identified and recommend solutions to those problems.
A total of 100 respondents were covered in the study, which consisted of both 30 pili farmers and consumers and both 20 pili processors and traders. Snowball sampling was conducted in selecting the respondents, who came from the municipalities of Bulusan, Gubat, and Irosin and the capital of the province, Sorsogon City. These areas were where pili production and processing were dominant.
Farmers and processors have the weakest connection with each other. Meanwhile, it was the opposite in the case of traders, since they served as middlemen. Processors and traders generally have more bargaining power compared to farmers, as they are the primary buyers of pili products. Moreover, informal transactions were dominant among the stakeholders. Likewise, trust, communication, respect, and cooperation were the driving factors that enabled the stakeholders to have a successful transaction. Similarly, in every transaction, a cash basis was implemented across the different stakeholders. Also, some of the stakeholders sourced capital from financial institutions to expand their business operations.
Pili fruit is available and can be transformed into four different forms: fresh pili (pili with pulp), shelled pili, pili kernels, and processed pili products (pili confectioneries and delicacies). These forms of pili flowed into distinct chains involving several stakeholders, which contributed to the value addition of the commodity. Both fresh pili and shelled pili flowed on four distinct value chains in which processors were not involved. Meanwhile, pili kernels flowed on multiple chains (12 chains) due to their use among the different stakeholders. Specifically, traders and processors were the ones that required pili products, including shelled pili and pili kernels, since fresh pili (black in color) were often marketed directly to consumers. Furthermore, along with the flow of pili products, information regarding their utilization also circulated. Information such as processing procedures, supply and demand, and pricing, among others, were some that stakeholders shared. Lastly, the distribution of pili across the different stakeholders was done through delivery by trucks, jeepneys, tricycles, and picked-up. Distribution was not limited to the province since it was even marketed in Manila and other provinces. However, issues regarding fuel pricing and fees were some that stakeholders dealt with.
Farmers had the lowest amount of value-added on fresh and shelled pili in both seasons. Both of them had Php 2.60/kg in the peak season and Php 3.10/kg in the lean season. Value-added activities include depulping and drying. Moreover, in the case of pili kernels, traders, specifically wholesaler-retailers, had the highest amount of value-added in both seasons: Php 52.33/kg in the peak season and Php 97.51/kg in the lean season. Value-added activities include depulping, drying, and deshelling. Processors had the highest amount of value-added since they turn pili kernels into different pili confectioneries and delicacies. The amount of value-added ranged from Php 800 - Php 1,300 in the peak season and from Php 800 - Php 1,400 in the peak season. Relatively, the longer the chain of stakeholders as well as the kinds of activities involved, the higher the total value-added incurred; however, the net margin by each stakeholder decreased. Therefore, value-added and margin showed an inverse relationship.
Farmers had the highest net margin earnings due to low value-added costs: fresh pili had Php 22.40/kg in the peak season and Php 31.90/kg in the lean season; shelled pili had Php 44.40/kg in the peak season and Php 75.90/kg in the lean season; and Pili kernels had Php 597.40 in the peak season and Php 796.90 in the lean season. Moreover, Wholesaler-retailers had a net margin of Php 4.67 and Php 4.49 for both fresh and shelled pili in the peak and lean seasons, respectively. Meanwhile, pili kernels had a net margin of Php 747.67 in the peak season and Php 802.49 in the lean season. On the other hand, crispy pili were the basis for the computation of margin for processors. Processor- wholesaler-retailers and Processor-retailers have various net margins depending on where pili supply was sourced. Both types of processors earned a positive net margin, which amounted to Php 138.72/kg and Php 141.72/kg in the peak seasons if pili were sourced from the farmers. Unfortunately, negative net margins were incurred, which ranged from Php 50/kg to Php 400/kg for both seasons if pili were sourced from the traders.
Farmers’ main role was to grow pili trees and supply pili products (fresh and shelled pili and pili kernels) to the market. Meanwhile, traders’ main role was to source pili products from the farmers and market them; they targeted specifically the processors since they mostly sold pili kernels. Furthermore, traders were categorized into two categories: wholesaler-retailers and retailers. The former mostly marketed large volumes of pili supply, while the latter focused on retailing. Lastly, the processors\u27 main role was transforming pil kernels into different pili confectioneries and delicacies - these were now the end products consumed by consumers. Likewise, processors were categorized into two categories: processor-wholesaler-retailers and processor-retailers. The former had various product lines and was marketed in large quantities, while the latter had only limited pili confectioneries.
Furthermore, the utilization and distribution of pili products were not only limited to the province but also to nearby provinces such as Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and outside Region 5, among others. To be specific, Albay province was the top processor of pili; hence, there were feweer processors in Sorsogon province. Also, with the current supply and demand of pili, most were utilized domestically due to the difficulty of meeting the international standards. Still, some processors were able to export their products; however, it was not in great quantity given the limited market available across countries, the products\u27 compliance with international standards, costs, and certifications and registrations, among others. Conversely, if given enough support and foundation, pili can be exported, but it would take a lot of collaboration and effort among the stakeholders.
Farmers faced several problems and challenges, which included typhoons, a lack of modern equipment, manual methods of harvesting, and seasonality of production, among others. Moreover, traders and processors share the same problem with the insufficiency of pili supply, especially during the lean season. Also, the defectiveness of pili nuts and the lack of modern equipment were some of their problems. Lastly, traders mostly have problems with the sourcing of pili supply and buyers, while processors have problems with price fluctuations and the marketing of their products.
Consumers’ responses were also gathered, in which they prioritized the product’s flavor and taste. Meanwhile, they seek improvement in product packaging and labeling. They also mentioned that they were not selective about the stores, regardless of where they went in the Bicol region, because they saw similarities and differences between the products offered.
Finally, it is recommended that farmers join organizations or attend training and seminars to improve their knowledge when it comes to pili production and utilization of the commodity. Apart from that, they should practice pili grading so that they can have an advantage in negotiating the value of the produce. They could also seek assistance from support institutions for financial assistance and improvements in operations such as harvesting and sourcing from buyers, investment in technology and modern equipment, and the development of post-harvest facilities. Pili traders, on the other hand, must formalize their arrangements with the Pili farmers and processors to have immediate contact and better coordination. Meanwhile, pili processors must improve their product packaging and labeling so that they will meet market standards. In this way, it could be marketed locally and internationally. Also, they should widen their connections with the pili farmers so that supply would come directly from the farms, which is more efficient and a win-win situation for both stakeholders. Lastly, both traders and processors should invest in technology and modern equipment to improve their operations and join organizations, receive training, and attend seminars to gain better knowledge on the utilization of the products
Digital Marketing Adoption in Selected Agritourism Farm Sites in CALABARZON Region, Philippines
No full textDigital marketing is a necessary trend that businesses leverage to gain competitive advantage; however, its level of utilization in the agritourism industry has been lacking further study. Similar to digital marketing, agritourism became a trend, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic affected the Philippine economy.
With the abrupt transition from physical to virtual transactions, the relevance of digitalization has dramatically increased and threatened industries whose practices are anchored in the former. One example is the tourism industry. The imposition of community lockdowns for safety reasons has negatively affected the tourism industry due to strict rules and regulations regarding the accommodation of visitors. Hence, promoting agritourism is considered an important strategy to help the country recover in the new normal because it not only provides revenue to the economy but also a means of livelihood and food security, given the nature of the industry. Agritourism involves a series of diverse offerings —from tangible products to various experiences. It is the engagement in agricultural activities to maintain or improve the environment while ensuring that customer satisfaction is met, thus, also enhancing the tourist experience. One best way to promote the industry is to take advantage of digital marketing.
The general objective of the study is to assess the factors that influence the adoption of digital marketing among selected agritourism farm sites in CALABARZON. It determined the following: a) business profile, b) current status of their digital marketing adoption, c) extent of their digital marketing and social media utilization, d) Facebook presence, e) human capital and financial investments, and f) influence of their perceptions on their attitude, which affects their intention to use, and eventually, adoption of digital marketing. To obtain the data necessary to substantiate the study, a semi-structured interview and survey were conducted and analyzed afterward.
The agritourism farms are concentrated in Cavite and Laguna. The earliest farm site was established in 2005, but on average, half of them have been in the industry for more than five years. Moreover, with the average employees they employ, the farms are operating with small-scale manpower; however, this does not limit them from being able to accommodate a great number of tourists on their peak days—Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and non-peak days. These farms also offer a wide range of products and services, namely crop produce and farm tours, respectively. On average, visitors may enjoy multiple number of activities on the farms.
All farms utilize digital marketing, but they have not maximized its potential. Most of them adopted digital marketing to promote their offerings and reach a wider customer base. When deciding whether to adopt, many had no reservations because some of them are already digital individuals while others are aware of the benefits of digital marketing, relieving their worries. However, there are still challenges that they experienced upon adoption, including the lack of digital marketing experience and expertise, limiting them from fully exploring the platforms. They approach digital marketing as if it is their personal digital and social media accounts, rather than a strategic tool for marketing.
Their digital marketing utilization reflects their level of adoption. There is no intensive and extensive use of digital marketing in the agritourism industry in CALABARZON, as evidenced by the fact that most farms only utilize those popular types of digital marketing. Among the different digital marketing types, social media marketing, email marketing, and website are the most used. Having a shopping site is not common, but those who have one use Facebook Marketplace. Moreover, none of them have online food delivery services due to the limitations of distance and variety of service offerings.
There are different hindrances limiting them from using some digital marketing types and/or platforms, but among them, the most common is the lack of human resources. Specific to social media, the usage is still not fully maximized despite being the leading digital marketing platform used. Similar to their use of digital marketing, they only utilize popular social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Most use these platforms to promote their products and services and establish customer relations. Regarding the current challenges they experience in using digital marketing, many also have none, but others are worried about competitors, creating content, and keeping up and staying updated with the trends.
Upon assessing their online presence through Facebook auditing, most of them do not utilize their page well, with their low number of postings during the first quarter of 2023. They also have a low number of engagements for their posts, which suggests that the number of Facebook page likes and followers are not indicative of how well they utilize the platform. These farm sites need to step up in their use of digital marketing to gain a greater competitive advantage.
In general, perceptions toward digital marketing hold a significant role in the attitudes of farms, which also determine whether farms will intend to adopt it. Although the different perceptions considered are seen to be generally positive, only perceived usefulness and perceived effect are relevant in explaining the phenomenon based on the result of the ordinal logistic regression. On the other hand, the relationship between intention and adoption has not been proven statistically.
Nevertheless, there are still points for improvement not only to the industry but to the enterprises themselves as well as the future researchers. The lack of human resources can be addressed by hiring a digital marketing team, while the lack of expertise and experience in digital marketing could be managed through conducting training sessions and seminars that would equip them with knowledge in technology and digital marketing, thereby increasing their competitive edge against competitors. On the other hand, future researchers should consider conducting the study in more regions, increasing the number of participants, and having more extensive digital auditing
Charcoal Supply Chain and its Environmental Sustainability in Pagsanjan, Laguna, 2022
No full textThe study assessed the Pagsanjan charcoal supply chain and its environmental sustainability. Specifically, it aimed to : (1) characterize the key players in the Pagsanjan charcoal supply chain; (2) describe the product, payment and information flow of charcoal; (3) examine the charcoal supply chain performance in terms of marketing efficiency, responsiveness, flexibility, and product quality; (4) determine if the charcoal-making practices in Pagsanjan are environmentally sustainable; and (5) provide policy recommendations based on the research results.
Charcoal producers were completely enumerated. Then, forward tracing was used to map the remaining supply chain actors. A total of 135 actors were covered which included the three owners, producers, assembler-wholesalers, wholesalers, wholesalers-retailers, institutional buyers and household users. All the actors were interviewed to gather primary data related to their socio-economic profile, charcoal production, trading, indicators for environmental sustainability, and access to information and support services, among others. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, supply chain performance analysis, proximate chemical analysis, and criteria and indicators for environmental sustainability analysis.
The producers of charcoal in Pagsanjan worked in private lands (51%) or open forests (49%). One charcoal operation included site selection, wood harvesting, wood processing, kiln construction, carbonization, packaging, and transport wherein child labor is common incidence. Traders performed handling and consolidating, sorting, repacking, drying, and storing activities, while institutional buyers and household users used charcoal as cooking fuel. Cash is the sole mode of payment used by all the supply chain participants who sold charcoal by pick-up or delivery. There were 19 marketing channels in the Pagsanjan charcoal supply chain and most of the charcoal produced was traded and utilized within the municipality because traders lack transport permits. The majority of the channels were considered inefficient in the rainy season (58%) and dry season (53%) because of low farmgate prices and dishonest practices among producers who concealed soil and crushed charcoal at the bottom of the sack. Regardless of the season, the chain is not responsive because of the long lead time required to finish one charcoal operation. There were no lost orders and hence, the chain is considered flexible in terms of buyer flexibility. However, a slight increase in the amount of product losses will make the charcoal operations not profitable and hence, not flexible in terms of volume flexibility. Also, the charcoal in Pagsanjan is low quality in terms of moisture content, normal quality in terms of fixed carbon and ash content, and high quality in terms of volatile combustible matter. Lastly, most of the producers (73%) adopted non-sustainable practices. These producers harvested slow-growing and premium tree species using methods that stop three regeneration (e.g., tree felling and kaingin). Also, their operations were made in the open forests without any site restoration practices.
Based on the results, the study recommended the following: (1) make charcoal operations environmentally sustainable by harvesting fast-growing tree species, adopting wood harvesting practices that allow tree regeneration, and performing charcoal operation on private lands wherein the site is maintained by three planting and prohibition of kaingin, among others; (2) establishment of the Pagsanjan Charcoal Cooperative; (3) minimize product losses by adopting wood drying and water application; (4) provision of safety equipment and; (5) adoption of the proposed charcoal quality standard classification based on the proximate chemical analysis
Furs Class: An Entrepreneurial Venture Report
No full textFurs Class was established in the midst of the pandemic and during the rise of pet ownership in the Philippines. At this time, online orders was also rising and one of the highest sold products are pet food. In fact, The Philippine pet food market generates a total of 6.9 billion peso per year, equating to 61.75 pesos per person in 2022. (Cosgrove, 2023) The entrepreneur saw the opportunity to offer pet treats which are healthy, accessible, and affordable. The products offered are pork liver, pork heart, and chicken jerky priced at 50 pesos to 120 pesos. It is currently located at Batong Malake, Los Banos and were selling the products at the UPLB Saturday Bazaar. With the taget market of pet owner residents of Los Banos and surrounding areas, between 26 and 42 years old from middle income class to high income class. The business\u27 social media accounts are Facebook and Instagram where schedules, updates and pre-orders are posted. The whole business is managed by the owner who is the financial manager, marketing manager, and operations manager.
The business operated in a span of 7 months generating 8,336.52 pesos net income and having 194% return on investment that proves the business profitable. But there were a lot of challenges encountered especially early on due to the short shelf life of the products, the business name, product packaging, and machine capacity. The business was able to adapt by having air tight packaging and including a silica gel to avoid moisture inside the products and operating the machine for 24 hours in order to satisfy demand
Design and development of a biochar pelletizer
No full textBiochar\u27s potential value as a soil amendment is in continuous demand. However, as-produced biochar comes in different forms and sizes making its application and distribution challenging. Because there is a limited commercialized biochar pelletizer machine in the Philippines, a biochar pelletizer was developed to meet the requirements of the end-user and to produce a relatively efficient and comparatively inexpensive machine. The developed pelletizer was fabricated in local shops. The pelleting mechanism was composed of a horizontal die and two rollers. Pellet rollers were designed to press the biochar against the die. As the mixture passed the holes, pellets were formed and then fell to the catchment. The developed pelletizer was tested using three different feedstocks, namely: carbonized rice hull (CRH), carbonized coconut shell (CCS), and carbonized wood chips (CWC). Cassava paste was utilized as the binder in levels of 10%, 15%, and 20%, respectively. The pellets produced in the study were 13 mm long with a range of 6.60 to 7.79% moisture content. Particle and bulk densities were highest with CRH at 764.22 and 343.67 kg-cu m, respectively. The hardness and durability were highest with CWC with 1272.75 Pa and 87.48%, respectively. The highest actual capacity was observed with the CRH at 678.22 kg/day. An analysis of variance showed that the mean machine efficiency ranged from 67.86% to 71.02%, irrespective of the binder level. On the other hand, the binder level had a significant effect on the pelleting recovery with the highest recovery of 98.50% was achieved with a binder level of 20%. CCS and CWC could hold water up to 101 to 104% of their weight and could resist up to 806.66 to 1559.6 Pa of pressure. The study recommends the testing of pellets with other feedstock materials and other binder types and formulations
Ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from red jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) leaves using aqueous ethanol
No full textExtraction of bioactive components from natural sources has recently gained interest due to their medicinal benefits. Jute or \u27saluyot\u27, a fast-growing perennial herb abundant in the Philippines, is known to have high nutritive value and is a good source of phenolic compounds. This study focused on the optimization of the ultrasound-assisted extraction of the antioxidant phenolic compounds from red jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) using aqueous ethanol. Characterization of fresh jute leaf samples showed that jute leaf contains 84.52 ± 0.00% w/w moisture, 3.81 ± 0.98% w/w extractives, 11.67 ± 0.98% w/w total solids and total phenolic content (TPC) of 17.72 ± 0.36 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/gram bone dried leaves (gdl). Screening of the five factors (extraction temperature, extraction time, particle size, solid to solvent ratio and ethanol concentration) showed that extraction temperature, extraction time and ethanol concentration significantly affected the TPC of the extracts. Likewise, the interaction of particle size and ethanol concentration (negative effect) is significant. The optimum conditions were found to be 50 deg C extraction temperature, 20 min extraction time and 69.037% ethanol using suggested quadratic equations obtained through the models generated via Central Composite Design. Optimum TPC was 15.08 ± 0.03 mgGAE/gdl and optimum percent recovery was 85.11 ± 0.17%. Small percent differences (0.80% both) with respect to predicted suggest high desirability of the model equations. The high recovery of phenolic compounds with the aid of ultrasonication even at one extraction cycle is therefore proven to be significant, suggesting the potential of jute as source of phenolic compounds