SLSU and DOST-CEST Equip KASAMA Farmers through GIS-Based Mapping and Risk Assessment for Sustainable Agriculture in Kahupian, Sogod
Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) – Main Campus, through the Faculty of Computer Studies and Information Technology (FCSIT) and the Geographic Information System (GIS) Technology Center, successfully implemented the Geospatial Analytics of Farmers Engaged in Agricultural Production and Farm Outlet Project. This milestone initiative represents a major advancement in agricultural planning and disaster preparedness, utilizing cutting-edge geospatial technologies.
In strong partnership with the Department of Science and Technology – Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (DOST-CEST) Region VIII, the project concentrated on two key activities: (1) the profiling and mapping of farmers in selected communities, and (2) the development of a predictive classification model and risk maps for identifying potential hazard-prone agricultural zones.
Conducted in Barangay Kahupian, Sogod, the activity directly engaged the Kahupian Samahang Mag-uuma Association (KASAMA) — the primary beneficiaries of the project. Through comprehensive mapping of agricultural products and existing farm sites within the municipality, the project aims to establish an updated inventory of local agricultural production. This data serves as a foundation for monitoring the sustainable supply of food commodities, especially crucial in times of disaster and during the production of emergency food packs.
By leveraging GIS tools, the project team adopted a data-driven strategy to visualize and analyze farming patterns, assess commodity-specific outputs, and geotag farm locations. This approach facilitates more effective farm-to-market planning, climate risk reduction, and the promotion of climate-resilient agriculture within the municipality.
Leading the capacity-building sessions were experts from SLSU’s CCSIT: Dr. Rhoderick Malangsa, Ms. Jannie Fleur Oraño, Jorton Tagud, Renee Clint Gortification, and Jerson Maasin. Their collective expertise in computer science, GIS, and data analytics played a vital role in empowering farmers and local stakeholders with knowledge on how digital tools can improve agricultural decision-making.
This initiative reflects SLSU’s unwavering commitment to delivering research-based, science-driven, and sustainable solutions that empower communities and enhance disaster resilience. Moreover, the project contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
