The Economic Issues and Coping Strategy of Vegetable Growers in Bukidnon During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global agricultural value chains. In developing countries, smallholder farmers were particularly affected by the impact on their incomes. In the Philippines, market instability, limited mobility, and a shortage of workers significantly affected vegetable farmers. A qualitative narrative study design was used to examine the economic problems and the ways vegetable growers in Barangay Kibenton, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, dealt with them during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data came from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with six purposefully selected vegetable farmers. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that problems with production, distribution, and sales are linked to each other in the economy. A lack of workers and money, reliance on intermediaries, limited bargaining power, and reduced income slowed farm activities. Problems in marketing included unstable farm-gate prices, excess supply, transport delays, and post-harvest losses. Despite these problems, the growers showed resilience by using both problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies, such as prayer, optimism, and drive, as well as problem-focused strategies like borrowing money, continuing to plant, and changing the way they farm. The results show that vegetable growers can adapt to systemic problems and stress the importance of using localized qualitative data to help make policies that make smallholder farmers more resilient during public health crises.