Salient Features Of The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Carp
What is CARP and Why Does It Matter? Exploring the Salient Features of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program for Farmers and Landowners
The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) is a landmark legislation that aims to redistribute agricultural lands to landless farmers and farmworkers in the Philippines. It was enacted in 1988 under the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and was extended twice by subsequent laws until 2014. CARP covers all public and private agricultural lands, regardless of tenurial arrangement and commodity produced, subject to certain exemptions and retention limits.
salient features of the comprehensive agrarian reform program carp
CARP is based on the principle of social justice and rural development, as well as the recognition of the right of farmers and farmworkers to own the lands they till or to receive a fair share of the fruits thereof. It seeks to promote a more equitable distribution and ownership of land, with due regard to the rights of landowners to just compensation and to the ecological needs of the nation. It also aims to foster industrialization and full employment through industries that make efficient use of human and natural resources.
Salient Features of CARP
CARP has several salient features that distinguish it from previous land reform programs in the country. Some of these are:
Scope and coverage. CARP covers all public and private agricultural lands, including lands of the public domain suitable for agriculture, regardless of tenurial arrangement and commodity produced. The original target was 10.3 million hectares, but this was later revised to 5.37 million hectares due to various exclusions and exemptions. As of 2012, 4.49 million hectares had been acquired and distributed under CARP, benefiting 2.6 million farmers.
Modes of acquisition and distribution. CARP employs various modes of acquiring and distributing lands, such as voluntary offer to sell, compulsory acquisition, voluntary land transfer, direct payment scheme, leasehold operation, stock distribution option, and joint venture agreement. The preferred mode is voluntary offer to sell, where the landowner voluntarily offers his/her land for sale to the government at a negotiated price. The least preferred mode is compulsory acquisition, where the government expropriates the land against the will of the landowner.
Retention limits and exemptions. CARP allows landowners to retain a maximum of five hectares of land, plus three hectares for each heir who is at least 15 years old and who actually tills the land or directly manages its cultivation. Landowners may also apply for exemptions from CARP coverage if their lands are used for livestock, poultry and swine raising; fishponds and prawn farms; salt beds; fruit farms; orchards; vegetable and cut-flower farms; cacao, coffee and rubber plantations; industrial tree plantations; agro-forestry lands; or lands used for national security or defense purposes.
Beneficiaries selection and qualification. CARP beneficiaries are selected based on certain criteria, such as being landless; being at least 15 years old; being a resident of the barangay where the land is located; being an actual tiller or farmworker on the land; or being a member of a cooperative or farmers' organization. Beneficiaries are required to pay amortization for the land they receive, as well as taxes and fees. They are also obliged to cultivate the land personally or through their immediate family members, and to make it productive and profitable.
Support services. CARP provides various support services to both beneficiaries and landowners, such as credit facilitation; infrastructure development; irrigation systems; extension services; research and development; marketing assistance; livelihood projects; legal assistance; agrarian justice delivery; education and training; socialized housing; health care; social security; and environmental protection. These support services are intended to enhance the productivity, income, and welfare of the agrarian reform beneficiaries.
The Impact of CARP
CARP has been widely praised as a progressive and comprehensive land reform program that has improved the lives of millions of farmers and farmworkers in the country. However, it has also faced various challenges and criticisms over its implementation, effectiveness, and sustainability. Some of the issues that have been raised are:
Delays and backlogs. CARP has been plagued by delays and backlogs in acquiring and distributing lands, especially those under compulsory acquisition. This is due to various factors, such as lack of funds; bureaucratic inefficiencies; legal obstacles; resistance from landowners; conflicts among beneficiaries; inaccurate land records; and political interference.
Quality and productivity. CARP has been questioned for its impact on the quality and productivity of agricultural lands. Some studies have shown that CARP has resulted in lower yields, lower incomes, lower investments, lower credit access, lower technology adoption, lower crop diversification, lower farm size efficiency, and lower environmental quality. This is attributed to factors such as lack of capital; lack of skills; lack of incentives; lack of markets; lack of infrastructure; lack of support services; lack of security of tenure; lack of collective action; and lack of institutional support.
Poverty reduction. CARP has been challenged for its contribution to poverty reduction among rural households. Some studies have found that CARP has not significantly reduced poverty incidence among agrarian reform beneficiaries compared to non-beneficiaries or even increased it in some cases. This is explained by factors such as low asset quality; low asset utilization; low asset returns; low asset accumulation; low asset diversification; low asset mobility; low asset protection; low asset empowerment;
Salient Features of CARP
CARP has several salient features that distinguish it from previous land reform programs in the country. Some of these are:
Scope and coverage. CARP covers all public and private agricultural lands, including lands of the public domain suitable for agriculture, regardless of tenurial arrangement and commodity produced. The original target was 10.3 million hectares, but this was later revised to 5.37 million hectares due to various exclusions and exemptions. As of 2012, 4.49 million hectares had been acquired and distributed under CARP, benefiting 2.6 million farmers.
Modes of acquisition and distribution. CARP employs various modes of acquiring and distributing lands, such as voluntary offer to sell, compulsory acquisition, voluntary land transfer, direct payment scheme, leasehold operation, stock distribution option, and joint venture agreement. The preferred mode is voluntary offer to sell, where the landowner voluntarily offers his/her land for sale to the government at a negotiated price. The least preferred mode is compulsory acquisition, where the government expropriates the land against the will of the landowner.
Retention limits and exemptions. CARP allows landowners to retain a maximum of five hectares of land, plus three hectares for each heir who is at least 15 years old and who actually tills the land or directly manages its cultivation. Landowners may also apply for exemptions from CARP coverage if their lands are used for livestock, poultry and swine raising; fishponds and prawn farms; salt beds; fruit farms; orchards; vegetable and cut-flower farms; cacao, coffee and rubber plantations; industrial tree plantations; agro-forestry lands; or lands used for national security or defense purposes.
Beneficiaries selection and qualification. CARP beneficiaries are selected based on certain criteria, such as being landless; being at least 15 years old; being a resident of the barangay where the land is located; being an actual tiller or farmworker on the land; or being a member of a cooperative or farmers' organization. Beneficiaries are required to pay amortization for the land they receive, as well as taxes and fees. They are also obliged to cultivate the land personally or through their immediate family members, and to make it productive and profitable.
Support services. CARP provides various support services to both beneficiaries and landowners, such as credit facilitation; infrastructure development; irrigation systems; extension services; research and development; marketing assistance; livelihood projects; legal assistance; agrarian justice delivery; education and training; socialized housing; health care; social security; and environmental protection. These support services are intended to enhance the productivity, income, and welfare of the agrarian reform beneficiaries.
The Impact of CARP
CARP has been widely praised as a progressive and comprehensive land reform program that has improved the lives of millions of farmers and farmworkers in the country. However, it has also faced various challenges and criticisms over its implementation, effectiveness, and sustainability. Some of the issues that have been raised are:
Delays and backlogs. CARP has been plagued by delays and backlogs in acquiring and distributing lands, especially those under compulsory acquisition. This is due to various factors, such as lack of funds; bureaucratic inefficiencies; legal obstacles; resistance from landowners; conflicts among beneficiaries; inaccurate land records; and political interference.
Quality and productivity. CARP has been questioned for its impact on the quality and productivity of agricultural lands. Some studies have shown that CARP has resulted in lower yields, lower incomes, lower investments, lower credit access, lower technology adoption, lower crop diversification, lower farm size efficiency, and lower environmental quality. This is attributed to factors such as lack of capital; lack of skills; lack of incentives; lack of markets; lack of infrastructure; lack of support services; lack of security of tenure; lack of collective action; and lack of institutional support.
Poverty reduction. CARP has been challenged for its contribution to poverty reduction among rural households. Some studies have found that CARP has not significantly reduced poverty incidence among agrarian reform beneficiaries compared to non-beneficiaries or even increased it in some cases. This is explained by factors such as low asset quality; low asset utilization; low asset returns; low asset accumulation; low asset diversification; low asset mobility;
Conclusion
CARP is a comprehensive and ambitious land reform program that has transformed the Philippine agrarian landscape and society. It has redistributed millions of hectares of land to millions of farmers and farmworkers, and provided them with various support services to improve their livelihoods. It has also recognized and respected the rights of landowners to just compensation and retention. CARP has been guided by the principles of social justice and rural development, as well as the recognition of the right of farmers and farmworkers to own the lands they till or to receive a fair share of the fruits thereof.
However, CARP is not without its flaws and challenges. It has faced delays and backlogs in land acquisition and distribution, especially for lands under compulsory acquisition. It has also been criticized for its impact on the quality and productivity of agricultural lands, as well as its contribution to poverty reduction among rural households. It has encountered resistance and opposition from some landowners, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders. It has also been hampered by inadequate funds, inefficient bureaucracy, legal hurdles, political interference, and institutional weaknesses.
Therefore, CARP needs to be continuously reviewed, evaluated, and improved to address its shortcomings and enhance its effectiveness and sustainability. It needs to be supported by adequate funds, efficient administration, legal reforms, political will, and institutional coordination. It also needs to be complemented by other policies and programs that promote rural development, such as agrarian reform communities, rural infrastructure, agricultural modernization, market linkages, social protection, environmental conservation, and peace and order. CARP is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve a more equitable, productive, and prosperous rural society. d282676c82
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