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Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

Characterizing the Sustainability of Coffee (Coffea spp.)-based Agroforestry System Using Geographic Information System in Ab-abaan Watershed, Kalinga Province, Philippines

(Philippines), Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Dissertation Abstract:

 

The study was conducted to characterize the sustainability of the coffee-based agroforestry system in Ab-abaan Watershed, Kalinga Province using geographic information system (GIS). Specifically, it aimed to (1) describe the biophysical and socioeconomic characteristics of the coffee-based agroforestry growers in the study area; (2) identify and analyze the measures of sustainability in the context of the socioeconomic and technological practices of the coffee growers; (3) evaluate the ecological, technological, yield/productivity, and social equitability dimensions of the coffee-based agroforestry system; and (4) recommend alternative practices to improve the existing agroforestry system to suit the environmental, socioeconomic, and technological conditions of the coffee growers in the study area.

Field and laboratory studies were conducted to characterize the sustainability of the coffee-based agroforestry system using GIS. Sampling locations were identified and some climatic, biophysical, and socioeconomic profiles of the respondents were monitored. The sustainability of the area was verified through four sustainability measures; namely, ecological soundness, yield, technological dimension, and socioeconomic equitability. The overall sustainability condition of the area was drawn through simple algebraic summation of the sustainability scores of the different variables in the sustainability indicators and sustainability measures. This was presented through GIS maps.

Results showed that the Ab-abaan Watershed passed the sustainability test with an average score of 1.86 characterized as moderately sustainable. The sustainability scores of the area varied per experimental unit ranging from 1.51 to 2.50. By the sustainability measure level, socioeconomic equitability received the highest score (2.06), followed by technological dimension (1.99), ecological soundness (1.98), and productivity dimension (1.64).