Are irrigated farming ecosystems more productive than rainfed farming systems in rice production in the Philippines?

The variations in rice productivity in the irrigated and rainfed farming ecosystems in the Philippines from 1996/1997 to 2006/2007 are estimated using a stochastic metafrontier, which is a production function that envelops the production frontiers of the two farming ecosystems. The productivity levels are also compared across the two ecosystems through time. Results indicate that farms in the rainfed farming ecosystem achieve productivity levels only slightly different from those of farms in the irrigated farming ecosystem. Some farms in both ecosystems were able to achieve the highest possible output with respect to the metafrontier in all the seasons studied. The adoption and diffusion of appropriate technologies to the other farmers can narrow the technology gap that exists within and between the two farming ecosystems. As technical inefficiency is found on many farms within ecosystems, there is potential for most producers in both farming ecosystems to improve productivity with more efficient use of resources at the farm level. We find that technological progress is absent, confirming previous evidence of a lack of substantial productivity growth in the past decade. Research and development of improved rice technologies is needed to shift the metafrontier outwards.