Suitability Evaluation of Existing Agrometeorological Network in Luzon, Philippines Using GIS-based Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Weather and climate data are among the most valuable information for agricultural operations.The dearth of existing agrometeorological stations is not a new issue, particularly for developing countries.This study evaluated the suitability of the agrometeorological stations based on different expert-consulted criteria and was subjected to Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Analysis.The results suggest that most (10 out of 13) of the existing agrometeorological stations are between marginal to moderate suitability levels and none has reached the highly suitable mark which implies possible inaccuracies in observed data due to their inherent location.Further evaluation reveals that only 26.47% of the land area over Luzon has the potential to be a suitable site for future stations with a maximum possible suitability level of 3.4.This study aids in a sound strategic site selection for agrometeorological stations which serve a crucial role in elevating agricultural practices in different agroclimatic zones over Luzon.