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corruption of government officials
threats to one's personal security and freedom of movement
circumvention of government processes, particularly those on obtaining free, prior and
informed consent of indigenous peoples
labor and social legislation issues, such as on child labor, nonpayment of minimum wage
Despite the fact that agribusiness is a legal economic activity in the Philippines, such reports of
abuse and violations of human rights, not only in the country but elsewhere, would justify us to take
another look on its impacts by applying human rights-based approach. The primary questions we seek
to address are:
1. How is agribusiness regulated in the Philippines?
2. How do duty-bearers, who are major players in Philippine agribusiness, respect, protect, and
fulfill human rights in their respective spheres of influence?
3. What are the complaints involving farmers and other persons working in rural areas?
• Do complaints correspond to particular human rights?
• Are the complaints justiciable?
• Are there redress mechanisms in place to address the complaints?
Scope and Delimitation
It was in 1957 when two Harvard professors, Ray A Goldberg and John H. Davis coined the
term "agribusiness."4 By definition, the agribusiness sector is engaged in the production and operations
of a farm, the manufacture and distribution of farm equipment and supplies, and the processing,
storage, and distribution of farm commodities. Agriculture (agricultural production and management) is
clearly the core of agribusiness. It includes all the activities in the agricultural sector (as inputs) and
some portions of the industrial/manufacturing and services sectors (for processing, distribution or
consumption, and financing). Thus, the nature of work in agribusiness has a very wide scope from
input production, farm operations and management, food/non-food processing, equipment and supplies
manufacturing, trading, and retailing. 5 Figure 16 below illustrates the broad product flow in the global
agri-food system:
4
5
6
Dy. R.T., et al (2011) The Business of Agribusiness: From the Roots to the Fruits. University of Asia and the Pacific
Department of Labor and Employment - Bureau of Local Employment (2012). Industry Career Guide -Agribusiness.
http://www. ble.dole.gov.phlpublication!ICG%20Agribusiness.pdf (accessed February 11, 2016)
Beierlein, J.G., et al. (2014) Principles of Agribusiness Management Fifth Edition. IL: Waveland Press, Inc.
2