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Optimized Land Use through Integrated Land Suitability and GIS Approach in West El-Minia Governorate, Upper Egypt

Author

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  • Yasser M. Zakarya

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Ain-Shams University, Cairo 11241, Egypt)

  • Mohamed M. Metwaly

    (Data Reception, Analysis and Receiving Station Affairs Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, Cairo 11769, Egypt)

  • Mohamed A. E. AbdelRahman

    (Land Use Department, Division of Environmental Studies and Land Use, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), Cairo 11769, Egypt)

  • Mohamed R. Metwalli

    (Data Reception, Analysis and Receiving Station Affairs Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, Cairo 11769, Egypt)

  • Georgios Koubouris

    (ELGO DIMITRA, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, 731 36 Chania, Greece)

Abstract

Land evaluation is imperative for its efficient use in agriculture. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the suitability of a region in West El-Minia for cultivating some of the major crops using the geographical information system (GIS). The results focus on allocating space for cultivating sugar beet and utilizing the free period of sugar beet in other crops. This exploitation helps to maintain the quality of the land and increase its fertility by using crop rotation with integrated agricultural management. A machine learning technique was implemented using the random forest algorithm (RF) to predict soil suitability classes for sugar beet using geomorphology, terrain attribute and remote sensing data. Fifteen major crops were evaluated using a suitability multicriteria approach in GIS environment for crop rotation decisions. Soil parameters were determined (soil depth, pH, texture, CaCO 3 , drainage, ECe, and slope) to characterize the land units for soil suitability. Soils of the area were found to be Entisols; Typic Torrifluvents , Typic Torripsamments and Typic Torriorthents and Aridsols; Typic Haplocacids , Calcic Haplosalids and Sodic Haplocalcids . Overall, the studied area was classified into four suitability classes: high “S1”, moderate “S2”, marginal “S3”, and not suitable “N”. The area of each suitability class changed depending on the crop tested. The highest two crops that occupied S1 class were barley with 471.5 ha (representing 6.8% of the total study area) and alfalfa with 157.4 ha (2.3%). In addition, barley, sugar beet, and sorghum occupied the highest areas in S2 class with 6415.3 ha (92.5%), 6111.3 ha (88.11%) and 6111.3 ha (88.1%), respectively. Regarding the S3 class, three different crops (sesame, green pepper, and maize) were the most highly represented by 6151.8 ha (88.7%), 6126.3 ha (88.3%), and 6116.7 ha (88.2%), respectively. In the end, potato and beans occupied the highest areas in N class with 6916.9 ha (99.7%) and 6853.5 ha (98.8%), respectively. The results revealed that the integration of GIS and soil suitability system consists of an appropriate approach for the evaluation of suitable crop rotations for optimized land use planning and to prevent soil degradation. The study recommends using crop rotation, as it contributes to soil sustainability and the control of plant pests and diseases, where the succession of agricultural crops on a scientific basis aims at maintaining the balance of nutrients and fertilizers in the soil.

Suggested Citation

  • Yasser M. Zakarya & Mohamed M. Metwaly & Mohamed A. E. AbdelRahman & Mohamed R. Metwalli & Georgios Koubouris, 2021. "Optimized Land Use through Integrated Land Suitability and GIS Approach in West El-Minia Governorate, Upper Egypt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:21:p:12236-:d:673118
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Claudiu Coman & Ecaterina Coman & Vasile Gherheș & Anna Bucs & Dana Rad, 2025. "Application of Remote Sensing and Machine Learning in Sustainable Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-18, June.
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    4. Ioannis Vardopoulos & Sophia Ioannides & Marios Georgiou & Irene Voukkali & Luca Salvati & Yannis E. Doukas, 2023. "Shaping Sustainable Cities: A Long-Term GIS-Emanated Spatial Analysis of Settlement Growth and Planning in a Coastal Mediterranean European City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-24, July.

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