Philippines at a glance
The Philippines is situated in Southeast Asia with Taiwan on its northwest coast and Borneo on the south. It is an archipelago composed of 7 641 islands, divided into three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Agriculture, which is made up of four sub-sectors (crops, livestock, poultry and fisheries), is the main source of livelihood for 25-30 percent of the labour force. It contributes about 10 percent to the gross national product.
Farming and fishing households, however, face high levels of food insecurity as a result of natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and floods. Decades of conflict has further exacerbated poverty and food insecurity in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, the country’s poorest region. These events have resulted in the displacement of agriculture-dependent families, which further imposes limitations to their sources of income and food.
While the Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, it is also one of the most advanced countries in implementing the shift from a reactive emergency response to a proactive risk reduction approach. The Department of Agriculture continues to work closely with FAO’s technical experts on a National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy for agriculture and fisheries.
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KEY FACTS
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Population and Labour Force | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Size [Millions] | Annual growth rate [%] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
1999 | 2004 | 2009 | 2014 | 1999-2004 | 2004-2009 | 2009-2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total population | 76.02 | 84.23 | 91.89 | 100.10 | 2.07 | 1.76 | 1.73 | |||||||||||||||||||
Total labour force | 31.20 | 35.21 | 38.98 | 43.67 | 2.45 | 2.06 | 2.3 | |||||||||||||||||||
Labour force in agriculture | 12.53 | 13.11 | 13.36 | 13.72 | 0.91 | 0.38 | 0.53 | |||||||||||||||||||
Source: FAOSTAT, FAO of the UN, Accessed on January 24, 2014. faostat.fao.org/site/550/default.aspx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Land Use | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Area [Millions of ha] | Annual growth rate [%] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
1997 | 2002 | 2007 | 2012 | 1997-2002 | 2002-2007 | 2007-2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total area | 29.82 | 29.82 | 29.82 | 29.82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||
Arable land | 5.18 | 4.93 | 5.28 | 5.54 | -0.98 | 1.38 | 0.97 | |||||||||||||||||||
Permanent crops | 4.70 | 4.70 | 5.00 | 5.35 | 0 | 1.25 | 1.36 | |||||||||||||||||||
Forest cover | 6.95 | 7.23 | 7.50 | 7.77 | 0.79 | 0.74 | 0.71 | |||||||||||||||||||
Source: FAOSTAT, FAO of the UN, Accessed on August 12, 2014. faostat.fao.org/site/377/default.aspx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Value of Agriculture Production and Food Production | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Value [Millions of 2004-2006 Int$] | Annual growth rate [%] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | 2002 | 2007 | 2012 | 1997-2002 | 2002-2007 | 2007-2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
Total agricultural production | 15 040 | 16 881 | 20 243 | 22 013 | 2.34 | 3.7 | 1.69 | |||||||||||||||||||
Food production | 14 667 | 16 532 | 19 876 | 21 599 | 2.42 | 3.75 | 1.68 | |||||||||||||||||||
Source: FAOSTAT, FAO of the UN, Accessed on February 4, 2015. faostat.fao.org/site/612/default.aspx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top Ten Commodities Production Quantity - 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commodity | Quantity [t] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Sugar cane | 32 000 000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Rice, paddy | 18 032 422 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Coconuts | 15 862 386 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Bananas | 9 225 998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Maize | 7 406 830 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Vegetables, fresh nes | 5 000 000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Fruit, tropical fresh nes | 3 300 000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Pineapples | 2 397 628 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Cassava | 2 223 144 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Meat indigenous, pig | 1 678 195 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: FAOSTAT, FAO of the UN, Accessed on February 4, 2015. faostat.fao.org/site/567/default.aspx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Top Ten Commodities Production Value - 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commodity | Value [1000 Int$] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Rice, paddy | 4 796 414 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Meat indigenous, pig | 2 579 790 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Bananas | 2 338 494 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Coconuts | 1 731 150 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Meat indigenous, chicken | 1 349 304 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Fruit, tropical fresh nes | 1 348 618 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Vegetables, fresh nes | 942 205 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Sugar cane | 927 130 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Pineapples | 683 434 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Maize | 613 669 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: FAOSTAT, FAO of the UN, Accessed on February 4, 2015. faostat.fao.org/site/612/default.aspx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Trade Value of Fishery Products | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Value [Millions of USD] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Imports | 135 | 109 | 95 | 134 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exports | 502 | 407 | 348 | 639 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: FishSTAT, FAO of the UN, Accessed on August 24, 2012. www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capture and Aquaculture Production Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Production [1000 t] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Capture fishery | 1 861 | 1 896 | 2 270 | 2 612 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Aquaculture | 362 | 394 | 557 | 745 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: FishSTAT, FAO of the UN, Accessed on August 24, 2012. www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en |