Agriculture and Livestock Systems Overview

Cropping Systems

• Cropping systems represent all cropping sequences practiced over space and time based on technology.
• Historically, cropping systems are designed to maximize crop yields.
• There's a modern focus on incorporating social, economic, and environmental (ecological) concerns into cropping system design.

Livestock Systems

• Livestock systems encompass all aspects of the livestock commodity supply chain.
• This includes livestock distribution, production systems, consumption and production estimates, and the people involved in livestock production.

Agriculture

• Agriculture is the science of cultivating soil, harvesting crops, and raising livestock.
• Activities related to plants and animals are part of agriculture .
• The agricultural sector provides raw materials needed by industrial sectors.

Importance of Agriculture in the Philippines

• Agriculture plays a vital role in the Philippine economy, employing roughly 50% of the workforce.
• It contributes approximately 22% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Agribusiness, a significant part of the Philippine economy, accounts for 70% of total agricultural output.
• Agriculture contributes to 1/3 of the national income, benefiting traders, processors, retailers, and other groups.
• The dominant agricultural enterprise is crop cultivation, followed by chicken broiler production, agricultural services, and hog farming.

Agricultural Engineering

• Agricultural engineering plays a critical role in agriculture, supporting plant and livestock systems.

Agricultural Literacy

• Means having the ability to think critically about the impact of agriculture.
• Agriculturally literate individuals understand and demonstrate basic knowledge of agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resources.

Importance of Agricultural Literacy

• Raises awareness of diverse career opportunities beyond traditional farming in fields like business, science, engineering, food production.
• Challenges misconceptions about agriculture such as GMOs, chemical use, "factory farms" and the role of agriculture in climate change.

Factors Affecting Food Safety in the Philippines

• The country's high relative humidity and heavy rainfall make it crucial to maintain hygienic storage conditions for food processing businesses.
• Maintaining dry food processing equipment and storage areas reduces the risk of spoilage microorganisms.
• Consumption patterns play a significant role in food safety hazards, influencing the likelihood of health issues.
• Rice is a staple food in the Philippines, consumed by 94.8% of households, with an average intake of 290 grams per person.

Food Safety Issues and Challenges in the Philippines

• The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), collaborating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Health (DOH), enforces food safety and sanitation rules, conducting inspections, and ensuring compliance through the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 856, 1975).
• These agencies collaborate to conduct research, monitoring, and documentation of food-related diseases.
• However, gaps exist in the Philippine food control system, including potential issues in food laws, analytical capability, inadequate governance, and challenges in responding to food safety concerns.

Communication and Information Technology

• Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) encompass a broad range of communication technologies such as the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software, and social media.
• ICTs play a critical role in bridging the digital divide and promoting economic and social development.
• Improved extension of ICT services to farmers can enhance the use of global open data for agriculture and nutrition, facilitating solutions for food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture.
• Diverse innovations in the agriculture sector have leveraged ICTs. These include commodity and stock market information and analysis, meteorological data collection, advisory services to farmers, and early warning systems for disaster prevention.
• e-Agriculture refers to the application of ICTs in agriculture.
• In 2007, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the e-Agriculture Community of Practice, an online platform for sharing knowledge and experiences about ICTs in agriculture.
• In 2016, the FAO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) released the 'E-Agriculture Strategy Guide: Piloted in Asia-Pacific Countries' to aid countries in developing national e-agriculture strategies.

e-Agriculture

• The e-Agriculture Community of Practice has over 15,000 members from 170 countries and territories.
• The E-Agriculture Strategy Guide, developed by the FAO and ITU, provides a framework for countries to create effective e-agriculture strategies.