Despite the availability of science and technology packages and products such as organic fertilizer, high-yielding varieties, cost-reducing farming practices, and value-adding technologies, adoption by farmers has been slow because of: (a) weak links between technology producers and extension workers and farmers/fisherfolk; (b) lack of media and public awareness of the benefits of the technologies; and (c) financial or capacity constraints of intended users.
Similarly, the use of mechanization in Philippine agriculture has been low. The current mechanization level of the sector, which is 1.68 horsepower (hp)/hectare, is far below other Asian countries such as Korea (4.11 hp/hectare) and China (3.88 hp/hectare). Among rice and corn farmers, only 21.7 percent have mechanized while the rest continue to use manual labor and farm animals in production activities (UPLB, 2009). The inadequacy of aftersales service, substandard machinery, and the sporadic, fragmented and disorganized implementation of agricultural and fishery mechanization have contributed to low mechanization in the sector.