CROP SUITABILITY EVALUATION OF HIGH VALUE CROPS IN BARANGAY TOKAWAL, ALABEL, SARANGANI PROVINCE

The study aimed to generate a crop suitability map of pineapple, tomato, bell pepper, and dragon fruit in Barangay Tokawal, Alabel, Sarangani Province. The suitability evaluation was based on the following parameters: soil texture, soil pH, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, elevation, slope, temperature, relative humidity, and annual rainfall. Soil-related parameters were measured in every five hectares grid of the barangay and climate-related parameters were acquired from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The crop suitability evaluation can be interpreted through the maps generated using Geographic Information System software. Based on the different maps, most of the areas are suitable for the four crops. Some of the parameters are favorable for the four crops, especially the soil pH, OM, and temperature. Though the nitrogen level is low, fertilizer like Urea can be added. Annual rainfall has a low rating because it is too much for the plants to take up. However, the location is gently sloping and drainage would be easy. Analytical Hierarchy Process was used to determine relative importance of criteria and the resulting weights were used to describe the generated maps. For future study, the researcher recommends conducting the study annually since the nutrients and other soil properties may change and even the climatic data may change. The LGU can also use the result to help local farmers have the information they need to produce pineapple, tomato, bell pepper and dragon fruit.