Determinants of participation in livelihood strategy among coconut-based farmers in Camiguin, Philippines

¹ Camiguin Polytechnic State College, Institute of Agriculture, 9104 Catarman, Camiguin, Philippines
² National Research Council of the Philippines, Associate Member, Division VI (Agriculture and Forestry), 1631 Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Benefits and opportunities of coconut agroforestry adoption are widely studied in literature, especially on its role in conservation initiatives. This study aimed to address the gap in understanding why farmers participate in a livelihood strategy in coconut-based agroforestry and how demographic, economic, and farm attributes influence their participation. The study utilized a quantitative, cross-sectional research method. The study was administered to 391 respondents in Camiguin, Northern Mindanao, Philippines. The collected data was analyzed using free software R 4.5.1 and RStudio. Results revealed that livelihood diversifications positively influenced off-farm, non-farm, and self-employment. Men tend to engage in non-farm employment, while women tend to engage self-employment. Land ownership had positive influence on-farm employment and a negative influence on off-farm employment. The study recommends facilitating the expansion of skills development and strengthening mechanisms for micro-enterprise support for men and women. Also, the design of conservation programs may be integrated into existing livelihood strategies to ensure effective conservation outcomes. Further studies may be conducted to assess the relationship between agroforestry practices and farmers’ livelihood assets. Moreover, it is relevant to evaluate gender and generational differences in the agroforestry practices they employed and in their livelihood assets.