Comparative assessment of land suitability evaluation based on land mapping units and agroecological zones: a case study of Morogoro rural district, Tanzania
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Date
2003
Authors
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
A study was conducted in Morogoro rural District to compare land evaluation based
on land mapping units (LMUs) and Agro ecological zones (AEZs) as a land unit
criterion for land suitability classification and evaluates their effectiveness for land
evaluation at district level in Tanzania. The study comprised of Agro economic
survey using semi-structured questionnaires, compilation of land resource and Agro
economic databases, and physical and Agro economic land suitability evaluation of
LMUs and AEZs for maize, paddy and sesame as the main land utilization types
(LUTs) using Automated Land Evaluation System (ALES). The results showed that
parts of land units Vai (50%), Va2 (50%), AEZ IX (50%), MO21 (35%), AEZ V
(35%), AEZ VI (35%), Pe3 (30%), AEZ III (20%) and AEZ VII (5%) are moderately of yields and gross margins by ALES were better (P<0.05) when AEZs were used as a land unit criterion for land suitability evaluation than when were based on LMUs. The study has demonstrated that land suitability evaluations using Agroecological
zones criteria as a unit for land evaluation is much better and more effective (P< 0.5)
than LMUs criterion particularly when working on small scale surveys for land use
planning at District level. Similar studies should be carried out elsewhere in Tanzania in areas with similar environmental conditions to verify the applicability of AEZs as an evaluation land unit in land evaluation in favour of the LMUs. Further research to
assess on-farm land evaluation methodologies taking into consideration climatic
variability over a long time is also recommended.
suitable for maize production. The rest are either marginally or currently not suitable
for maize production. Parts of land units Vai (50%) and AEZ VII (45%) are highly
suitable for paddy production. While land unit Va2 and, parts of the land units Pel
(55%) and AEZ IV (75%) are moderately suitable for paddy production. The rest are
either marginally or currently not suitable for paddy production. Also the results
indicates that parts of land units AEZ IX (50%), AEZ V (35%), Pe3 (30%), AEZ VI
(5%) and AEZ VII (5%) are moderately suitable for sesame production. The rest are
either marginally or currently not suitable for sesame cultivation. The major limiting
factors for production of these LUTs are erosion hazards, oxygen availability to root
zones, rooting condition, moisture availability, nutrient availability and nutrient
retention. The study also revealed that there is positive correlation between ALES
predictions and farmers’ reported yields and gross margins with correlation ranging
from 0.3 to 0.7 and 0.2 to 0.8 for yields and gross margins respectively. Predictions
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Land evaluation, Agro ecological zones