A STUDY OF MECHANIZATION ON SMALL RICE FARMS IN THE PHILIPPINES. IT INCLUDED ALL PHASES OF THE MECHANIZATION PROCESS FROM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION, ADOPTION ON FARMS, ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENTS AND ADAPTATIONS AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES. OBJECTIVES WERE: 1) TO EVALUATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE IRRI AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS HELPING TO BRING ABOUT MECHANIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINES; 2) TO IDENTIFY POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS WHICH HAVE ENCOURAGED OR INHIBITED THE ADOPTION OF SMALL-SCALE MECHANIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINES; 3) TO ASSESS THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF MECHANIZATION ON SMALL FARMS; AND 4) TO DETERMINE THE KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT MAY BE ENCOUNTERED IN BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY. FROM THE FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE TO CONTINUE THE IRRI PROGRAM IN MECHANIZATION FOR SMALL RICE FARMS WITH MORE EMPHASIS ON: 1) DEVELOPING AND INTRODUCTION SMALLER AND LESS EXPENSIVE IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINES, 2) INTEGRATED SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING MORE THAN ONE CROP PER YEAR ON EXISTING LANDS, AND 3) IMPROVING NATIONAL CAPABILITY FOR EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT ALSO IS ENCOURAGED TO INCREASE AND IMPROVE EXTENSION/EDUCATION PROGRAMS, ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE POLICIES; CONDUCT MANPOWER AND EMPLOYMENT ANALYSES; AND EXTEND AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT TO SMALL FARMS AND BUSINESSES.
