Agroforestry Farm Plan

Development Tool

Submitted by: Group 3 - C2L

Members
FORMARAN, Am Kirstin
CORONEJO, Jhane-Ann
MAGAS, Jenny
REBLORA, Shiela Mae
VALENTIN, Angie
Introduction

Approximately 5 million farmers cultivate 30% of the Philippines' total geographical area,
making the nation primarily an agricultural country (Elauria, 2020). In the year 2000, the upland areas of
the Philippines were home to about 24 million people, constituting one-third of the nation's total
population. Notably, the majority of these upland residents heavily relied on farming as their primary
source of livelihood (Legaspi et al., 2021). The decision to settle in upland areas is often influenced by
limited livelihood opportunities and the challenge of land ownership in lowlands. This migration to
uplands is driven by the perception that upland areas provide more available land, considering land as an
open-access resource. Moreover, there is a higher likelihood of land ownership in uplands, along with
various livelihood opportunities, including practices such as shifting cultivation.

In connection, an effective and sustainable technique for land use management that combines the
cultivation of trees and shrubs with conventional agricultural crops and/or livestock is called agroforestry.
This all-encompassing strategy encourages environmental resilience and conservation in addition to
maximizing land productivity. To fully utilize the potential of this technique, a well-crafted agroforestry
farm plan must be developed and implemented. Agroforestry Land Capability Assessment and Mapping
Scheme (ALCAMS) becomes an essential instrument, offering a methodical way to assess and chart the
suitability of land for agroforestry operations. ALCAMS is a thorough framework that is intended to
evaluate a piece of land's suitability for the effective implementation of agroforestry. It offers a
comprehensive understanding of a specific area's potential for agroforestry integration by assessing soil
fertility, slope, and land use of an area by combining cutting-edge mapping tools, ecological concerns, and
workable land-use planning (ALCAMS – UPLB AGORA, n.d.).

Objectives

1. Become familiar with the tools and processes used in ALCAMS.

2. Recognize and put into practice the sequential process of running ALCAMS.
3. Describe how mapping land capabilities is important for agroforestry farm planning and
development.
4. Applying the ALCAMS principle, formulate recommendations based on the observed situation.

Methodology

The methodology involves delivering a lecture to students, providing them with fundamental
concepts and procedures related to the implementation of ALCAMS. Within this lecture, emphasis is
placed on the collection of crucial data, which will serve as inputs for the profiling tool and the
subsequent development of farm plans.

Essential learning tools for this process include presentations, transparencies, or tracing paper, along with
maps depicting slope, vegetation, and soil fertility. The ALCAMS Model integrates three key factors:
a) Slope: Identified as an indicator of soil erosion potential.

b) Existing Vegetation or Land Use: Utilized as an indicator for the adaptation of trees, crops, and
animals, along with assessing their production levels.

c) Soil Fertility: Employed as an indicator for production potential and sustainable production levels.

The determination of land capability at the farm level or within a farming landscape involves
measurements and observations based on specific specifications related to these three factors.

The land is categorized based on measurements as follows:

A. Class I – Highly suitable for agroforestry: Slope 0–18%, with existing vegetation like
brushland/pasture, established perennial or annual crops, and medium to high soil fertility. These
areas have the highest agroforestry potential. Soil and water conservation (SWC) may not be
imperative; limitations may only relate to adaptable components. Combinations include S1 plus
L2 or L3 or L4 plus F1 or F2 or F3.

B. Class II – Marginally suitable for Agroforestry: Slope 0–18% but with low soil fertility, and land
with 18–50% slope under cultivation. For productive agroforestry, some soil and water
conservation is necessary. Combinations include S1 plus F3; S2 or S3 plus L2 or L3 or L4 plus F1
or F2 or F3.

C. Class III – Conditionally suitable for Agroforestry: Slope >50% under cultivation with low soil
fertility but under brushland/pasture. These areas can be used for agroforestry with soil and water
conservation practices. Combinations involve S4 plus L2 or L3 and F3.

D. Class IV – Not suitable for Agroforestry Use: Slope >50%, with existing forest on public land
classified for specific purposes. These areas are better suited for purposes other than agroforestry.
Combinations include S4 plus L1 and/or others not specified.
Results and Discussion

Figure 1 shows the slope map of Barrobob watershed.

Red represents 0% to 18% slope (S1), yellow represents
18% to 25% slope (S2), and green represents 25% to
50% slope (S3). In the powerpoint presentation presented
in class, a slope of greater than 50% is considered as S4.
However, based on the slope map of Barrobob watershed,
there are no areas with slope exceeding 50%. With this,
all land areas of Barrobob watershed are capable of
agroforestry implementation (highly, marginally,
conditionally).

Figure 1. Slope Map of Barrobob Watershed

Figure 2 shows the land use map of Barrobob

watershed. Green represents areas having natural
forests. Indigo represents the land use commercially/for
residential use. Orange represents open/cultivated land,
being a potential agroforestry system since the area is
cultivated, seemingly intended for crops. Lastly, pink
represents brushland. Brushland areas can be highly
capable for silvopasture due to its characteristics.

Figure 2. Land Use Map of Barrobob Watershed

 Figure 3 shows the soil fertility map of Barrobob
watershed. Yellow, in this map, represents land having
low fertility (F3). Red represents land having medium
fertility (F2), while indigo represents land having high
fertility (F1). Given this, if an agroforestry system
were to be established, the ideal area would be in the
red and indigo as soil fertility sustains plant growth
and optimizes yield.

Figure 3. Soil Fertility Map of Barrobob Watershed

Figure 4 shows the generated land classification map

of Barrobob watershed through assessing slope, land use, and
soil fertility of the areas of watershed. Most of the area was
classified under Class II. According to the powerpoint
presentation presented during the laboratory class, Class II
pertains to areas marginally capable for agroforestry. Different
areas under Class II formed the following combinations
through consideration of slope, land use, and soil fertility:
S1L4F3, S2L3F2, and S3L2F3. The area having moderate
fertility (F2) can implement agrisilviculture. With the land
being cultivated, growing of crops incorporated with trees is
the ideal agroforestry system to be implemented. The
remaining area under Class II falls within low soil fertility.
Since these low fertile soils are used as brushlands and
alienable and disposable, agrisilviculture and silvopastoral
would suit these areas. However, soil and water conservation
is necessary due to low soil fertility. The alley cropping
system can be employed and contour farming is one method
of preserving soil and water that can increase soil fertility.
Pasture wastes can also be used as an organic mulching
fertilizer while preventing erosion, improving soil structure,
boosting infiltration, and preserving soil moisture.
 Class IV pertains to areas not for agroforestry use. The generated combinations from assessment
were: S2L1F2 and S3L1F3. These combinations have a common denominator: existence of natural forest
in the area. With this, areas having natural forests cannot be used for agroforestry and is better intended
for the purpose of forest reserve and parks, conserving biodiversity of the area.

Conclusion

Agroforestry Land Capability Assessment and Mapping Schemes (ALCAMS) proved to be a

valuable planning tool for assessing the capability and suitability of the Barrobob Watershed's land for
agroforestry development. The integration of land use, slope, and soil fertility maps provides a
comprehensive overview of the land's capability for agroforestry activities. The categorization into
different land classes facilitates targeted decision-making, with Class II areas identified as marginally
suitable for agroforestry and Class IV areas deemed unsuitable. The strategic utilization of
agrisilvicultural and silvopastoral systems; implementation of contour farming, alley cropping, and
pasture wastes as mulch emerges as potential practices to enhance capability in specific land classes.
However, areas classified under Class IV proved that not all areas are capable of agroforestry
development.

Study Questions

1. How can we determine land capability of a given area or farming landscape?

- One tool to determine the land capability of a given area or farming landscape is the Agroforestry
Land Capability Assessment and Mapping Schemes (ALCAMS). Significant factors are
considered in ALCAMS: slope, land use, and soil fertility. Slope is one of the most important
factors to consider in land capability as it determines the potential of erosion in an area. With
steeper slopes, surface runoff during an event of rainfall is likely to happen resulting in washing
away of soils (especially when the soils have low resistance) and nutrient sedimentation
(Nadal-Romero, 2014). Land use and soil fertility are factors closely related to each other. Land
use such as commercial/residential use will most likely have low soil fertility due to urbanization.
On the other hand, areas dominated by trees/forested areas will most likely have high soil fertility
due to the amount of organic matter and nutrients recycled within it.

2. What is the significance of determining the land capability of an area or farming landscape?

- Land capability is important to determine the potential of an area to perform with its intended
land use. In the field of forestry, a tool called Agroforestry Land Capability Assessment and
Mapping Schemes (ALCAMS) is used to assess the capability of land for agroforestry
 development. Through land capability assessment, proper implementation of agroforestry systems
and soil and water conservation can be determined, enhancing production and ecological balance.

3. What is/are the advantage/s of knowing the spatial distribution of capable lands for agroforestry?

- With knowledge of spatial distribution of capable lands, farmers can know which area is best
suited for agroforestry. It can save a lot of time, money, and resources of farmers as with this
knowledge, they will not purely rely on a trial and error system determining which site is best to
plant and produce.
References

ALCAMS – UPLB AGORA. (n.d.). Participatory Planning for Agroforestry Development Using
Agroforestry Land Capability Assessment and Mapping Schemes (ALCAMS). University
of the Philippines Los Baños.
https://agora.uplb.edu.ph/resilience-and-sustainability-old/alcams/

Elauria, M. M. (2020, July 16). Farm Land Policy and Financing Program for young Generation
in the Philippines. FFTC Agricultural Policy Platform (FFTC-AP).
https://ap.fftc.org.tw/article/882#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20is%20basically%20an,b
y%20almost%205%20million%20farmers.

Legaspi, R. M. B., Toribio, E. C. B., Yohanon, E. P. L., Predo, C. D., & Vergara, D. (2021b).
Assessing the profitability and sustainability of upland farming systems in Cambantoc
subwatershed, Philippines. IOP Conference Series, 892(1), 012066.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/892/1/012066

Nadal-Romero, E., Petrlic, K., Verachtert, E., Bochet, E., & Poesen, J. (2014). Effects of slope
angle and aspect on plant cover and species richness in a humid Mediterranean badland. Wiley
Online Library, 39(13), 1705-1716. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3549.