The DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM), through the Geomatics and Soil Information Technology Division (GSITD), successfully conducted the Capacity-Building cum Technical Briefing and Field Data Collection Activity under the DA’s Digital Agriculture Project (DAP)-funded Digital Mapping and Assessment Program (DMAP) from June 30 to July 2, 2026, at Teachers Camp, Baguio City. The activity supports DMAP’s objective of accelerating the adoption of remote sensing and other geospatial technologies to strengthen agricultural land resources mapping and promote science-based planning and decision-making.

The activity opened with a welcome message from Ms. Ofelia P. Ducayag, DVM, OIC-Chief of APCO Baguio, who emphasized the importance of collaboration among national government agencies and local government units in advancing sustainable and data-driven agricultural development.

The activity brought together representatives from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist – Benguet and the Municipal Agriculture Offices of Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, Kabayan, Kapangan, Kibungan, La Trinidad, Mankayan, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay.

Participants were introduced to the DMAP, with a focus on its two major components: Component 1 – Development of a Centralized Decision-Support Mapping Hub for Sustainable Soil and Water Resources Management; and Component 2 – Leveraging Remote Sensing (RS) Technologies for Sustaining Agricultural Productivity in SAFDZ Areas. The session also highlighted the use of satellite and drone-derived data to support crop monitoring, soil erosion/land degradation assessment, and the generation of reliable geospatial information for agricultural planning.

Mr. Baldwin M. Pine, DMAP Co-Focal Person, conducted a technical session on soil erosion. He discussed the fundamentals of soil erosion, its impacts on agricultural productivity and the environment, and the importance of erosion risk assessment for sustainable land management. The session also introduced a mobile application under development, the Soil Erosion Assessment Tool (SEAT), which demonstrates how it can identify erosion-prone areas and support evidence-based planning and the implementation of appropriate soil and water conservation measures.

Participants also underwent hands-on training in QField, led by Mr. Michael Alexis T. Nota, Component 2 Co-Focal Person, equipping them with the skills to collect in situ data by recording GPS locations, identifying high-value crops, documenting field conditions, and capturing geotagged photographs. These activities support the validation of remote sensing outputs and enhance the accuracy of agricultural mapping.

The activity concluded with closing remarks from Ms. Sharon G. De Vera, DMAP Focal Person and Chief of the Geomatics and Soil Information Technology Division, who underscored the importance of the DMAP in advancing digital innovation, science-based decision-making, and stronger collaboration among national and local stakeholders.

Following the Capacity-Building cum Technical Briefing, field data collection and ground validation activities were successfully conducted across Benguet from July 2 to 10, 2026. Participants gathered in situ data to validate remote sensing outputs, assess field conditions, and improve the accuracy of high-value crop mapping. The collected datasets will support evidence-based agricultural planning and contribute to the development of more sustainable, resilient, and climate-smart agricultural systems. | via Monaliza Reyes, GSITD

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