Covid-19 Hits the Unsung Heroes: The Encountered Hardships of Farmers in Times of Pandemic

Abstract

- Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected the agricultural sector in the Philippines. As the production of rice is affected by the lockdown, the Filipino farmers also suffered. The pandemic and the lockdown imposed in response to it have added to the burden for farmers and traders, whose movements are now restricted. In this study, the researchers aimed to give light to the experiences of the local farmers during the pandemic. These experiences are mainly focused on the effect of the pandemic on their livelihood, financial status, and their mental health. The data was collected through interviews by giving them questionnaires. The responses from the 16 respondents were analyzed to answer the study’s research questions. The data showed that person aged 41-45 were more dominant in farming than the person who aged 26-40 and 60 years old and above of the key-participants of the conducted study. The findings showed that most of the farmers have the same struggles experienced during the pandemic. These struggles are due to lack of equipment, drying of crops, pests, and the added burden of strict protocols that were implemented by the government. Many of them also expressed that their income became lower during the pandemic because of the low production of goods since there are less farmers