A Knowledge-based System on Land Suitability Assessment in Caraga

Daisy R. Nojeda *, Edgar E. Cuenca’

*BSIT Students, College of Engineering and Information Technology,
Caraga State University, Brgy. Ampayon, Butuan City
[email protected]

‘Faculty , College of Engineering and Information Technology,

Caraga State University, Brgy. Ampayon, Butuan City

Abstract
This study was carried out to evaluate the suitability of the agricultural crop
to the land characteristics by using a knowledge-base expert system. The factors that
were considered for evaluation of the land suitability for crop production were slope,
soil drainage, soil texture, soil depth, soil pH and the present crop to be use in the
land. This study aims to develop and design a knowledge-based system that will
determine the suitable lands for specific crops in Caraga Region and to assist the
farmers and experts in land suitability for sustainable agricultural farming by
reducing processing time with standardized procedure. The researchers use the
Exsys Corvid 3.1.1 for the development of rules and Joomla 1.5 as the user interface.
The results of this study are valuable to agriculture and forestry sector, researchers
and students.

Keywords: Inference Engine, expert system, suitability, Production Rules

1. Introduction Fig. 1 Components of an expert system model

Nowadays, the population of the Philippines
is growing dramatically. In order to meet the Expert systems contain knowledge which
increasing demand for the food, the farming obtains from specialists in a certain field of expertise.
community has to increase its production. At present The general structure of an Expert System (Figure 1)
situations, vast lands are one of the factors why most can be described in terms of four
of the Filipinos pursue agri-business. The used of components:Knowledge Base, is the decision support
knowledge-based systems is of great help to the philosophy to point to the expert system technology
farmers in the Philippines since it has wide-ranging into the decision making framework. Usually such
lands. Specifically in Caraga Region, the fertile lands codification uses rules like IF-THEN rules to
have been providing livelihood opportunities to the correspond to logical implications.;Users, is a person
people who engage in agricultural activities. This is who interacts with the system, to enable its operation,
an attempt to promote ways of increasing the or to utilize its function;User Interface is the space
production of farming and reducing the hazardous where interaction between humans and machines
effect of extensive farming to our natural resources. occurs.; and Inference Engine, computer program
Thus, the researcher introduced this study to help the that tries to get answers from a knowledge base. It is
agriculturist to grasp the better solutions on land the "brain" that expert systems use to reason about
suitable for crop. the information in the knowledge base for the
ultimate purpose of formulating new conclusions.
2. Methodology They are considered to be a special case of reasoning
engines, which can use more general methods of
reasoning.
The researcher use EXSYS Corvid for the
developing of the rules of the knowledge base system
and Joomla 1.5 for the user interface.

3. Results and Discussion

In coding the system the researcher use
Exsys Corvid for the ruling system. Raw data are

5th Caraga Region Engineering, Architecture and Technology Educators (CREATE) Congress
March 1-2, 2012
CSU Campus, Butuan City
transformed into rules. Predicate calculus, predicate consistency of identification, classification and
logic, production rules, decision tree an truth table are advice jobs can be increased considerably (Deris, et.
considered for the knowledge engineering. Truth al, 1987). Another study entitled “Applicability of
table is considered also to test the truth and falsity of knowledge-based and fuzzy theory-oriented
the statements. approaches to land suitability for upland rice and
Figure 2 below shows the user interface of rubber, as compared to the farmers’ perception: A
the system. Upon clicking the consult button the case study of Lao PDR” that is given the importance
consultation will start. of upland rain fed rice and the interest on rubber, in
their research the suitability of these two crops has
been assessed using three different approaches: first a
knowledge-based suitability prepared by farmers,
second a traditional Boolean suitability classification
performed using the Automated Land Evaluation
System ALES, and third a fuzzy-based evaluation
(Moreno, 2007). “Soil suitability and crop versatility
assessment using fuzzy analysis at a farm scale” is a
study about how to fit fuzzy membership functions
(FMFs) to decide soil suitability for multiple crops;
then establish the diversity of multiple suitability at
each location by the Shannon’s Index and equitability
equation; and determine the overall versatility at the
farm scale, and establish a new versatility equation
Fig. 2 User interface of the System by combining the previous versatility methodology
with a diversity index.
4. Conclusion
The researchers were successfully 6. Acknowledgements
implemented and achieved this software project by The researcher would like to thank Our Almighty
using Exsys Corvid knowledge automation God for giving wisdom to finish this study. To my
environment. The objectives presented in this study family, friends, classmates, and workmates for giving
were successfully met by the designed expert system, their moral support at all times.
wherein:The essential accessible strategies or
processes used by human expert in land suitability 7. References
assessment has been recognized that served as one of 1. Deris, et. al, " A Computer Assisted Soil/Crop
the bases in designing the flow of the expert system; Suitability Identification and Classification,"
and; Rules were constructed that will identify the 1987.
suitability of their land to the crop they select. The 2. Moreno, “Applicability of knowledge-based and
designed expert system produces the same initial fuzzy theory-oriented approaches to land
findings with the Agroforesters, Agricultural suitability for upland rice and rubber, as
technicians, and land-use planners’ findings. compared to the farmers’ perception: A case
In general, the expertise of the human expert study of Lao PDR,”, 2007.
was successfully encoded into the knowledge-base 3. Beligan, et.al., “A Rule-Based System On Site-
expert system and based on software test results; the Species Matching Using Selected Biophysical
expert system successfully performs land suitability Characteristics”, 2011
assessment. 4. Inakwu O.A. Odeh and Mark Crawford “Soil
suitability and crop versatility assessment using
5. Related Literature fuzzy analysis at a farm scale” in 19th World
In a study about “A Computer Assisted Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a
Soil/Crop Suitability Identification and Changing World, Australia, 2010.
Classification” that an experiment concerning with a 5. Shahbazi, et. al, “Suitability of Wheat, Maize,
computer assisted soil/crop suitability identification Sugar Beet and Potato Using MicroLEIS DSS
and classification by utilizing the expert system Software in Ahar Area, North-West of Iran”,
techniques. The knowledge bases of the system 2009.
consist of two groups; the soil and crops knowledge
bases. By applying the expert system techniques to
soil management, the speed, accuracy and

5th Caraga Region Engineering, Architecture and Technology Educators (CREATE) Congress
March 1-2, 2012
CSU Campus, Butuan City