Do non-farm jobs affect soil conservation decisions? A ten-year (1996-2006) study in Bukidnon, Philippines

Using time series data of an upland community in the Philippines, this paper aims to understand whether soil conservation practices by upland farmers is affected by opportunities for non-farm jobs. The paper first analyzes the national trends in economic growth and the structural change in employment by industry origin as a result of wage trends in both farm and non farm jobs. Municipal trends in the study site on agricultural and non agricultural wages, farm and non farm employment are also presented. The factors that affect the propensity to participate in non farm jobs are identified through a logit model. A logit model is also estimated to establish relationship between the propensity to practice soil conservation and the participation in non farm employment.