GIS and RS Based Physical Land Suitability Analysis for Major Cereal Crops Using Multi-Criteria Evaluation Approach in Dabo Hana District, Bunno Bedelle Zone, South-West Ethiopia.

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.