The Philippine Rice Research Institute's Drones4Rice initiative is advancing rice production into digital agriculture using drones for seeding, spraying, and fertilizer application. However, an assessment by Dr. Teodoro C. Mendoza warns of potential displacement of 460,000 to 540,000 rural jobs and 'hidden costs' from soil degradation.
The Drones4Rice program, led by PhilRice in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute and AgriDOM, employs DJI Agras T40 drones for wet direct seeding of inbred and hybrid rice, spraying of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, and spreading of fertilizers. It aims to enhance speed and precision in field operations, potentially reducing labor costs.
In his ex ante impact assessment titled “Drones4Rice and the Future of Philippine Rice Farming: A Comprehensive Ex Ante Impact Assessment,” Dr. Teodoro C. Mendoza, a retired University of the Philippines Los Baños professor, projects that scaling to 50% of the country's rice area—over 2.4 million hectares—could displace 460,000 to 540,000 rural jobs, with annual wage income losses of P27.5 billion. This is based on comparisons showing traditional transplanting requires 25 to 30 person-days per hectare, versus 2 to 3 for drone seeding.
The paper also highlights ecological risks from increased reliance on herbicides like butachlor and pretilachlor, which can disrupt soil microbial communities, reduce biodiversity, and impair long-term soil fertility. Under the 50% adoption scenario, 'hidden costs' for soil restoration, additional fertilizers, and water could reach P22.84 billion to P38.1 billion annually.
The DJI Agras T40 drone costs around P1.7 million, potentially exacerbating unequal access for smallholders. Mendoza recommends measures such as retraining for displaced workers, cooperative ownership models, subsidies, and integration with Integrated Pest Management to mitigate risks and promote sustainability.
