Evaluation of land suitability for summer rice in Lower Brahmaputra Valley Zone of Assam using GIS and remote sensing
Implementing Organization
Assam Agricultural University
Principal Investigator
Dr. Pompy Deka
Assam Agricultural University
CO-Principal Investigator
Dr. Perves Ahmed
Assam Agricultural University
Project Overview
Analysis of land suitability is essential in planning a sustainable land use. A range of parameters e.g. soil conditions, topography, state of climate, and vegetation indices are considered to evaluate land suitability. Such evaluation provides information about specific land use potential and constraints. Effective management and proper land use decisions result in higher productivity of land and a sustainable environment. The rapidly growing population as well as global warming, exerts considerable pressure on scarce land resources all over the world. Therefore, determining suitable lands for summer rice to obtain suitable yield and production is urgent. Appropriate planning in land use is essential for enhancing land productivity, conserving ecology and protecting biodiversity. Inappropriate land management practices lead to an induced soil erosion, diminished agricultural production and hindered productivity and a deteriorated soil quality. Therefore, land management focusing on suitability should be a key issue in research activities and policymaking. The importance of knowledge of local land conditions has become gradually important in sustainable land management. Farmers of local communities assess their farmland using consistent observations and collective experiences. However, this knowledge is usually insufficient for rural communities to understand the adequacy of suitable conditions, management strategies and land-use decisions. It is worth mentioning that quick and accurate land suitability assessments can aid in the improvement in yield prediction models. Satellite remote sensing and GIS technologies can monitor plant growth and development and is also helpful for making decisions on regional food security policies and inferencing the production of field crops.