The Philippine Agribusiness System: Input Subsystems, Institutional Actors, and Technological Transformation — An Integrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ijsa.v4i1.7872Keywords:
Agribusiness System, Community-Based Agriculture, Cooperatives, Input Subsystem, Technology AdoptionAbstract
Philippine agribusiness functions as a community system whereby production, coordination, cooperation, and innovation within the agribusiness determine livelihoods and food security in the Philippines. However, studies on this topic are fragmented and often examine the different components of agribusiness separately. A review of the literature on the agribusiness community system in the Philippines, including studies on agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, assesses the current state of agribusiness. A survey of literature from 2010 to 2025 reveals five major areas of the agribusiness community system in the Philippines: agribusiness as a community system, inputs for agribusiness, stakeholders in the agribusiness community system, innovations in the agribusiness community system, and challenges of the agribusiness community system in the Philippines. The results indicate that agribusiness in the Philippines comprises government agencies, cooperatives, private agribusinesses, and farmers. Cooperatives have significantly contributed to the growth of agribusiness. The inputs for agribusiness include seeds, fertilizers, feeds for livestock, farm machinery, hatcheries for poultry farming, and forestry rehabilitation materials. However, the agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors face challenges such as reliance on imported inputs, inadequate infrastructure, and fragmentation of distribution systems for agricultural and forestry products. There have been various technological innovations in the agribusiness sector, including precision agriculture technologies, digital marketing platforms, and mobile agricultural advisory applications. Yet not all members of the agribusiness community have equitable access to these innovations. To sustain growth, there needs to be improved integration of stakeholders within the agribusiness community system, broader access to technology, and a shift toward local production of agricultural inputs. This research enhances knowledge of the agribusiness community system in the Philippines and contributes to the literature on agribusiness and rural development in the country.
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