Abstract:
Land suitability analysis is a prerequisite for sustainable agricultural production. This
study aimed at evaluating the current physical land suitability for major cereal crops
(e.g.tef , wheat, barley and maize) in Dabo-Hana district, Bunno Bedelle Zone, Southwest
Ethiopia. In order to analyze the land suitability and land allocation for major cereal
crops, GIS and RS application techniques was applied using Multi-Criteria Evaluation
approach. Dif erent physical parameters have been used as inputs for optimum
agricultural land suitability analysis, namely; temperature, rainfall, altitude, slope, soil
(soil depth, PH, texture and drainage), land use land cover, accessibility to market and
road. Physical land suitability map was developed for major selected cereal crops for the
study area..The result indicates that the study area was classified as highly suitable for tef
(15%), wheat (8.6%), barley (12.6%) and maize (17.2%) production. Then, tef (27.5%), wheat (19.1%), barley (17.7%) and maize(25.1%) are moderately suitable while tef
(20.5%), wheat (27.6%), barley (27%) and maize (21.9%)was classified as marginally
suitable. However from the study area; tef (3.7%), wheat (11.4%), barley (9.5%) and
maize (2.5%) of the study area are classified as not suitable. The optimum vector overlay
analysis result reveals that 8.4 % of land is highly suitable for tef , wheat and barley;
11.3% is moderately suitable for tef , wheat and barley; 2.4 % is moderately suitable for
tef , wheat, barley and maize. In the same manner, 12.4 % of the study area is marginally
suitable for tef , wheat, and barley. Hence, the suitability land classification analysis
assured that, more area of land is available which is suitable for agricultural productivity. Currently less area of agricultural land has been used for cereal crop production. Hence
the concerned body ought to develop an optimum land use planning to use the available
land resources for more cereal crop productivity in a sustainable manner for a better
socioeconomic development of the district.
