Green Growth and Structural Changes in Philippine Swine Production

Abstract

This study assessed two OECD-proposed green growth indicators (i.e, environmental and resource productivity of the economy; natural asset base) and examined the effect of structural changes and green technology on swine production in the Philippines. The study used a balanced panel data of 80 farm observations in Central and South Luzon for 2002 and 2015. Swine farms incurred negative mass balance of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) per hectare of land implying that land is insufficient to assimilate manure nutrients. The impact of swine production on the natural asset base was evaluated by estimating the biological oxygen demand (BOD) loads and concentration. Although only 5–15 percent of swine farms achieved the EU standard of 25 mg li^-1, BOD levels generally declined. The fixed effects regression model showed that contract farms and those with waste treatment facilities were associated with significantly lower N (kg ha^-1), P (kg ha^-1), and BOD (mg li^-1).