Land Resource Information System Of Cagayan Valley A Guidefor A Sustainable Agricultural Production System

Abstract A soil resource database of the major agricultural soils of Cagayan Valley was developed and complimented by a printed guidebook Soils in Cagayan Valley Guidebook to Sustainable Soil Resource Management. The database contained an inventory of all the established soil seriesin the four provinces of Cagayan Valley Region 2 Cagayan Isabela Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino. Morphological physical and chemical properties of the established soil series of the four provinces under study were collated and properly validated in the field using standard procedures of profile description soil sampling and laboratory testing. After correlation and validation of the primary and secondary data assessment of crop suitability was conducted and finally management recommendations for each soil series were formulated. The locationsof the soil at the barangay level were identified using the Geographic Information System GIS.The soil resources database includes the soil physical and chemical characteristics constraints to crop production suitability for major crops of the region and soil management recommendations intended for agricultural practitioners to grasp vital information on the different soils in the region. It will guide technicians and farmers to undertake decisions on what crop to grow in a specific soil series based on crop suitability rating harnessing the innate characteristics and nutrient contents of the soils as it provides standardized systems in nutrient management stipulating the quantified fertilizer inputs for specific soil series an information needed at the field for optimal and sustainable soil resource management. As designed searcher can select a specific province then municipality and then a particular barangay where he wants to identify its dominant soil series. A user friendly system would facilitate the location of the soil in any of the four provinces as well as show the municipalities under specific province. A list of barangayscan be seenas well and the selection for specific barangay can therefore be obtained easily. Once the barangay is selected the dominant soil series in that area with the corresponding information on their characteristics crop suitability limitations up to soil management recommendation will be seen on the screen. The guidebook will complement the information system especially for localities lacking tools to access the system. The information contained in the soil resource information system can therefore serve as decision-support information system towards sustainable agricultural production.