Agricultural Population

The 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF) collected data on Sustainable Development Goals 5a.1 to determine the proportion of agricultural population with legally recognized documents of ownership of agricultural land or the right to sell it or the right to bequeath it over the total agricultural population. 

The 2022 CAF recorded about 19.68 million individuals aged 18 and above who were members of households with at least one agricultural operator from 01 January to 31 December 2022 referred to as agricultural population. Out of the total agricultural population, approximately 10.13 million or 51.5 percent are males, while 9.55 million or 48.5 percent are females. (Table A)

Agricultural Population with Ownership or Secure Rights over Agricultural Land

Of the total agricultural population, individuals who reported owning or having secure rights over their agricultural land accounted for 21.8 percent or 4.30 million. Of this, approximately 3.01 million or 70.1 percent, are males, while 1.28 million or 29.9 percent are female. (Table 1)

Among the 17 regions, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) stood out with the highest proportion of its agricultural population 18 years old and over (28.6%) holding ownership or secure rights over agricultural land. This reflects the region’s strong emphasis on land ownership, which aligns with its cultural and historical practices. Cagayan Valley (26.6%), SOCCSKSARGEN (25.69%), Central Luzon (25.68%), Davao Region (25.4%), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (25.1%), Central Visayas (23.3%), Northern Mindanao (22.7%), and Zamboanga Peninsula (22.2%) are also notable for having higher-than-national average proportions of their agricultural population with secure rights over agricultural land.

On the other hand, Bicol Region (16.8%) had the lowest proportion of agricultural population with secure land rights, followed by Eastern Visayas (17.6%) and Western Visayas (18.2%). (Table B)

Among male agricultural population, 3.01 million (29.8%) hold secure rights over agricultural land. Meanwhile, only 1.28 million (13.4%) of the female agricultural population have ownership or secure rights. This highlights a significant gender disparity, with women being 16.4 percentage points less likely than men to own or have secure rights to agricultural land. (Table C)

Further, males significantly outnumber females across all regions. Among females, CAR recorded the highest proportion of agricultural landowners and right bearers (18.9%), followed by Central Visayas at 18.2 percent and the National Capital Region (NCR) at 17.1 percent. These regions exhibit comparatively stronger representation of women in agricultural land ownership than other regions of the country. 

On the other hand, the Eastern Visayas (10.8%), Bicol Region (11.1%), and Ilocos Region (11.5%) had the lowest proportions of agricultural land ownership among the female agricultural population. (Figure 1)

Figure 1. Proportion of Agricultural Population with Ownership or Secure Rights Over Agricultural Land by Region and Sex: Philippines, 2022

At the provincial level, Bohol, home to the highest number of farms in 2022, also led in the agricultural population with ownership or secure rights, totaling 191,867 individuals. Isabela ranked second with 153,409 individuals, closely followed by Pangasinan, with 149,863 individuals. (Table 1)

During the same reference period, approximately 1.97 million members of the agricultural population aged 18 and over reported full ownership of their agricultural land, meaning they held a formal title of ownership. Of these, 1.35 million (68.4%) were males, while 623 thousand (31.6%) were females. NCR led in female full ownership of agricultural land, with 46.1 percent, followed by Central Visayas with 40.3 percent. (Tables D and 2)

Among provinces, Isabela recorded the highest agricultural population with full ownership of agricultural land, totaling 103,269 individuals. Of these, 23,715 were females, representing 23.0 percent of the total. Bohol ranked second, with 81,236 individuals reporting full ownership, of which 30,845 or 38.0 percent were females. Pangasinan followed in third place with 72,449 individuals, including 23,100 females, accounting for 31.9 percent of the total.

Furthermore, the cities of San Juan, Mandaluyong, Manila, Malabon, and Mandaue reported that at least 50.0 percent of individuals with full ownership of agricultural land were females. Notably, in Pateros, all 18 agricultural population members aged 18 and over who held full ownership of agricultural land were females. (Table 2)

On the other hand, about 1.52 million individuals had owner-like possession over agricultural land, comprising 1.05 million (69.0%) males and 470 thousand (31.0%) females. Thus, the share of women among owners and holders of secure rights stood at less than one-third for both fully owned agricultural lands and those under owner-like possession. NCR also topped female owner-like possession over agricultural land at 45.8 percent. (Tables E and 2)

By province, Bohol led in agricultural population with owner-like possession over agricultural land, reporting 90,727 individuals. Negros Oriental ranked second with 71,678 individuals and Camarines Sur followed with 50,406 individuals. In these top three provinces, the share of women among those with owner-like possession of agricultural land exceeds one-third, 36.5 percent, 39.5 percent, and 34.3 percent respectively.

The six highly urbanized cities of Manila, Las Piñas, Makati, Navotas, Baguio and Quezon City all reported having at least 50.0 percent share of women among agricultural population aged 18 and over with secure rights over their lands in owner-like possession. (Table 2)

Figure 2. Percent Share of Women among Owners and Rights – Bearers of Agricultural Land in Full Ownership or Owner-like Possession by Province and Highly Urbanized City: 2022

The results are based on the 2022 CAF conducted among members of the agricultural households that operated agricultural activities from 01 January to 31 December 2022. Household interviews for the 2022 CAF were conducted from September to November 2023. 

CLAIRE DENNIS S. MAPA, PhD
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General