The Impact of Middlemen on the Livelihood and Income of Rice Farmers in Selected Barangay of Guimba, Nueva Ecija

The role of Middlemen in rural areas is often controversial, mainly because of the positive or negative roles they play in the farmer's livelihood. This paper shows that Middlemen help farmers sell more efficiently, save time identifying dependable purchasers, and provide security because they can speak directly with the Middlemen, which results in them continuing to sell them even if the Middlemen have a part in their profit. Therefore, the study recommends that the government agriculture sector give subsidies and free agricultural products that will help farmers to lessen their expenses in farming so that the profit that will go to the Middlemen whenever they sell to them in harvest season will also return to them. A platform with the use of technology today for selling their paddy could also be another way to help farmers have choices in selling without the help of Middlemen so that they will not settle for Middlemen who lessen their profit. Instead, they can talk directly to farmers