GIS-Based Assessment of land suitability for main crops in Abyan Delta

A GIs-based method was used to assess land suitability evaluation in the Abyan delta, Yemen for the main crops through simultaneous consideration of physical features and current land use. The present study was therefore carried out with the objective of investigate the potential and capability of Geographic Information System (GIS) as a modern technique to integrate spatial and attribute data for producing land suitability evaluation maps of the main twelve selected crops namely cereals (sorghum, maize, Millet), industrials (sesame, cotton, groundnut) vegetables (tomatoes, onion) and fruit (banana, papaya, mango, citrus-lemon) that cultivated in the study area under irrigation system based on an integration of land qualities and land characteristics as related to crop requirements. The results reveal that the highly suitable class (S1) accounts 13179 ha (24.6%), moderately Suitable (S2) constitutes 19247 ha (35.9%) and marginally Suitable (S3) comprise 6402 ha (11.9%). Whereas, unsuitable, which include both currently not suitable (N1) and permanently not suitable (N2) comprise 14772 ha (27.6%). The major limitations include both soil physical and chemical properties.