National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock management on farmers income
Abstract
This study refers to National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock management on farmers income. The National Food Authority (NFA) holds a critical mandate: to ensure food security by maintaining a strategic rice buffer stock. This involves dual responsibilities stabilizing consumer prices through market intervention and supporting local producers through guaranteed procurement. The main purpose of this study is to determine the level of National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock management in terms of procurement of palay, storage of palay, milling, rice storage, rice distribution, auction of stocks, inventory control, forecasting, demand planning and contingency planning; and the level of farmer income in terms of gross income, net income, income stability and price satisfaction. Furthermore, the study also determines the significant relationship between NFA Buffer Stock Management and farmer income. Also, action plan may also be proposed based on the findings of the study. The study employed descriptive research to determine the level of National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock management to farmer income. Stratified random sampling technique was used to determine a sample size of three hundred forty-four (343) from a two thousand three hundred forty-five (2,345) total population of farmers as respondents in Victoria, Bay, Siniloan, and Famy in Laguna as these four municipalities has biggest and recent volume of palay sold to NFA. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including weighted mean, standard deviation and Pearson r Coefficient is used in this study. A self-made questionnaire was used as a research instrument in data gathering. It aimed for the researcher to gather information on the significant relationship between the responses of students. The level of National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock management and the level of farmer income is highly managed. Furthermore, significant relationship between NFA Buffer Stock Management and farmer income is not observed. After completing the research, no significant relationship between NFA Buffer Stock Management and farmer income was noted. Thus, the hypothesis is accepted. This implies that the level of buffer stocks is often a tool for national food security rather than a direct mechanism for increasing individual farmer wealth. Based on the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations were set forth. The researcher recommended that the National Food Authority may continuously institutionalize its seamless collaboration with local government and may continuously institutionalize the procurement strategy by maintaining competitive floor prices and consistent cash subsidies. The researcher also recommended that the National Food Authority may transition from traditional historical forecasting to a data-driven localized vulnerability mapping system and may implement a supplemental income diversification program and a localized price-guarantee mechanism that protects Laguna farmers from seasonal market volatility.