GIS and multivariate analysis of farmer's spatial crop decision behaviour

Abstract

Among farmers, differences in decisions about what crops to grow can be attributed to the differences in resources, levels of knowledge, environment, approach in confronting uncertainty, and other factors. In this paper, the spatial dimension of farmer's crop decision behaviour is studied by analysing the factors they considered important when choosing crops to cultivate. A total of 131 fields were randomly selected from within seven land management units in Buguias municipality, northern Luzon, Philippines, and data from their farmer-owners [number not given, year of survey not given] was collected by interview. The important factors identified were grouped into few components applying the principal component analysis (PCA). The result of the analysis is linked with a geographic information system (GIS) to present farmer's crop decision behaviour, e.g. on a map. The aims are to facilitate better understanding of such behaviour, make it more accessible and manipulable in a computer-based information system. The findings show that these objectives are achieved.