Author : Barcellano, Emerson V.

Summary : 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: describe the bio-physical and socio-economic characteristics of the coffee-based agroforestry growers in the study area; identify and analyze the measures of sustainability in the context of the socio-economic and technological practices of the coffee growers; evaluate the ecological, technological, yield/productivity and the socio-economic equitability dimensions of the coffee-based agroforestry (AF) system; and recommend alternative practices to improve the existing AF system to suit the environmental, socio-economic, 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 socio-economic profiles of the respondents were monitored. The sustainability of the area was verified through four sustainability measures namely: ecological soundness, yield, technological dimension, and socio-economic 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 sustainability measure level, the socio-economic equitability received the highest score (2.06), followed by technological dimension (1.99), ecological soundness (1.98), and productivity dimension (1.64).