A Geographic Information System Based Physical Land Suitability Evaluation to Cereal and Pulse Crops in Guang Watershed, Highlands of Ethiopia

Land suitability mapping and analysis is a prerequisite to achieving optimum utilization of the available land resources. The main objective of this study conducted in 2014 wasto spatially evaluate land suitability for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), soyabean (Glycine max L.) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) crops in the Guang watershed, Ethiopia based on FAO guidelines. Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques were used to develop land suitability map of the study watershed. Land characteristics (LC) and crop requirements were used as criteria for crop suitability analysis were soil (depth, texture and pH), slope and temperature. The crop suitability map of the study watershed was made in an area of about 2500 ha by matching between reclassified LC of the watershed with crop requirements using GIS model builder. The land use suitability analysis indicated that the watershed was highly (S1), moderately (S2), marginally (S3) and not suitable (N) for barley, sorghum, soyabean and chickpea were in an area of 756.75 ha (30.27%), 1441.8 ha (57.67%), 1540.5 ha (61.62%) and 703.75 ha (28.15%), respectively. Keywords: physical land suitability evaluation; crop; GIS; Guang watershed; highlands Ethiopi