2.5.1 Land Capability for Agricultural Use

According to land capability analysis in the Davao Integrated Development Program Master Plan Study, Davao del Norte is suitable for lowland paddy, upland crops, upland crops/orchard, orchard and pasture. The lowland is found unsuitable for agriculture since the areas within the lowland are frequently affected by flooding which is causing damage to crops and properties. These areas can still be developed and its usefulness and productivity optimized, if mitigating measures like flood control and drainage projects is provided. Some area in the western part of Kapalong and Talaingod is also identified as unsuitable for agriculture because of the presence of steep slope characterized by severe erosion.

In the Provincial Physical Framework Plan (PPFP) of Davao del Norte, land suitability is classified based on the degree to which the characteristics of the land can satisfy the environmental requirements of specific crops without deterioration of the land resource.

In identifying land suitability, the Land Management Unit (LMU) is assessed to determine whether the characteristics of the land can match the environmental requirements of the crop using the following criteria:

Production Forests:

· Presence of loggable forest

· No serious erosion hazard

· Slopes < 50% and land < 1000 m. elevation

· No serious limitation of terrain or rock

Plantations:

· As for production forest loggable forest need not be present. Also, because of greater need for access and management, slopes should be <30% and the limitation of terrain or rock should be less severe.

Irrigated Rice:

· Slopes < 3%, up to 8% if terraced

· Low soil permeability

· Availability of irrigation water

· No significant limitation of rock, erosion, soil depth, etc.

· Presence of problem soils downgrades the suitability but is not necessarily limiting

Cultivated Annual Crops:

· No significant existing erosion (or a low soil permeability)

· Slopes < 8% (benchmark of erosion hazard)

· Adequate soil depth (>50cm.)

· No flooding or poor drainage

· No problem soils

· No serious limitation of terrain or rock

Perennial Tree and Vine Crops:

· As for cultivated annual crops that can be placed on more erodible slopes, a slope limit of 18% may be allowable.

Pastures:

· No serious existing erosion

· Slopes <18% if land is erodible

· Slopes <50% if land is stable

· No serious limitation of terrain, flooding, etc.

In defining the land suitability classes, each LMU is assessed as to its suitability for the most intensive form of land use, or the one that is more demanding in terms of its environmental requirements. Based on the following intensity ranking where 1 is the highest intensity used and 6 is the lowest intensity used, a suitable ranking of the form of land use in terms of intensity may be:

Rank Land Use

1 Irrigated rice, fishpond

2 Cultivated annual crops

3 Perennial tree and vine crops

4 Forestry plantations

5 Production forest

6 Pastures

The land suitability analysis indicates that irrigated rice is suitable in the municipalities of Carmen, Sto. Tomas, Asuncion, New Corella, B.E. Dujali and the City of Tagum. The Island Garden City of Samal and Panabo City are suitable for trees and vine crops. Cultivated annual crops are appropriate in the municipalities of Panabo, Sto. Tomas, Kapalong, Asuncion and Tagum City. Forestry plantation is suited in the municipalities of Asuncion, New Corella, Sto. Tomas and Kapalong, while production forest is suitable in Talaingod and Kapalong (Table 2-9).

Table No. 2-9: Land Suitability by City/Municipality (in hectares), Davao del Norte

City/Municipality	SR	SCC	STC	SFP	SPF	TOTAL
Tagum City	1,641.50	12,276.00	3,554.00		1,728.50	19,200.00
New Corella	7,500.40	5,478.80	716.90	9,586.40	8,865.50	32,148.00
Asuncion	6,126.80	9,730.50	10,082.00	4,339.60	10,873.10	41,152.00
Sto. Tomas	7,703.00	8,178.00	3,238.20	8,453.20	4,468.60	32,041.00
Kapalong	2,543.50	9,111.80	4,043.20	18,721.70	66,880.80	101,301.00
Talaingod		879.00			44,617.00	45,496.00
Panabo City	5,387.00	5,709.30	9,576.60		5,299.10	25,972.00
Carmen	10,693.90	8,662.60	5,962.10		2,197.40	27,516.00
B.E. Dujali	6,257.30	2,842.70				9,100.00
IGC of Samal	495.50	845.20	25,156.30	3,633.00		30,130.00
Davao del Norte	48,348.90	63,713.90	62,329.30	44,733.90	144,930.00	364,056.00

Source: PPFP, Davao del Norte, 1996

Note:

SR - Suitable for Rice Paddy

SCC - Suitable for Cultivated Annual Crops

STC - Suitable for Tree Crops

SFP - Suitable for Forestry Plantations (exotic species)

SPF - Suitable for Production Forest (native species)