Journal of
Soil Science and Environmental Management

  • Abbreviation: J. Soil Sci. Environ. Manage.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2391
  • DOI: 10.5897/JSSEM
  • Start Year: 2010
  • Published Articles: 314

Article in Press

Evaluation of land suitability for cash and perennial cops using geographical information system in east Amhara region, Ethiopia

AYALEW TIRUNEH

Land suitability mapping and analysis is a prerequisite to achieving optimum utilization of the available land resources. The objective of this study was to spatially evaluate land suitability for sesame (S. indicum L.), cotton (G. hirsutum L.), Ethiopian banana (E. ventricosum L.) and Mango (M. indica L.) crops in the east Amhara region, Ethiopia based on FAO guidelines. Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to create land suitability map. The criteria for crop suitability analysis were soil depth, soil texture, pH, slope and temperature. Crop suitability map was made by matching between reclassified land characteristics with crop requirements using GIS model builder. The results indicated that the largest portion of the region (1649.8 ha (41.2%), 2760 ha (69 %), 2974 ha (74.35%) and 3852 ha (96.3%) were unsuitable due to soil depth for sesame, cotton, Enset and mango production, respectively. The map could assist decision makers during land cultivation with studied crops.

Keywords: crop, suitability, GIS, Amhara