GIS aided land evaluation for sustainable agricultural development in Tri Ton, An Giang, Vietnam | |
| Author | Nguyen Thanh Son |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.NR-05-06 |
| Subject(s) | Geographic information systems--Vietnam Sustainable agriculture--Vietnam Land capability for agriculture--Vietnam |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. NR-05-06 |
| Abstract | Located in the west of An Giang province, south of Vietnam, Tri Ton district covers an area of 59,549.97 ha. Economy is mainly contingent upon agriculture. Cropping systems are characterized by rice monoculture and rice-based upland crops. In recent years, under quick changes in market-oriented economy, agricultural products become more and more competitive on the market and, as a consequence, agricultural production at certain parts of the area has been suffered from mismanagement in land use. To adapt with these changes, the best suitable alternatives in land use on each available piece of land has to be put forwards. And the question is how to create a transition that encourages farmer's income while safeguarding suitability of land still remains to local leaders. This study aims to simulate the spatial land suitability model for major economic crops with GIS-aided based upon FAO guidelines for rainfed agriculture (1976) with respect to providing planners suitable land use alternatives for sustainable agricultural development. Key socioeconomic factors affecting farmer's land use decision making are also included in this research as orientations for land use planning process. The process is implemented under matching the biophysical and socioeconomic data in two forms of suitability evaluation that are evaluations of physical land suitability and of social and infrastructural suitability. The physical land suitability assessment carried out under two stages consists of predefined diagnostic identification of limiting factors for each individual crop through reference of practical reports and regional experiences in relation to crop's requirements and then overlaying the selected theme layers that have unique information of land qualities for which the suitability based on. Similarly, in the second evaluation, the socioeconomic factors used as so-called "infrastructural requirements for land use types (LUTs)" mainly consist of the distances from farmers' house to the main roads, canals (for transportation); markets, factory (for accessibility to the market and processing), to the agricultural seed supply center and population. The findings reveal that, under overlaying of these suitability layers with selection criteria of only highly (S1) and moderately suitable (S2) classes of physical land classification for the major economic crops with uniquely high suitability class (S1) of social and infrastructural classification for all LUTs, majority of the area suitable for rice accounted approximately 27.84 percent of the total area is also suitable for upland crops and cassava as well. Nevertheless, there are respectively 9.6 percent of the total area is suitable for upland crops e.g. mungbean, groundnut, watermelon and critical that about 4.52 percent of the area is suitable for cassava monoculture. As a measurement of land use planning, aside from oriented recommendations regarding policy objectives, extension and development focusing on the suitable farming problem as well as socioeconomic status and physical suitability of land with due consideration of ecological stability in the area, there are three proposed cropping patterns spatially referred for development in the area including LUT1 (two rice crops of S-W and A-S), LUT2 (rice based upland crops) and LUT3 (cassava monoculture). At the remaining areas, involving eroding deforested mountains and marginal areas, establishing leguminous plantation and agro-forestry system are in tum encouraged with respect to soil fertility restoration, farmer's income improvement as well as optimization of unused land. The specific recommendations for future research on land suitability in detail are also supplemented. |
| Year | 2005 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. NR-05-06 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Shrestha, Rajendra; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shivakoti, Ganesh P. ;Webb, Edward L. ; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Norway (NORAD); |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2005 |