LAND SUITABILITY CLASSIFICATION FOR MAIZE PRODUCTION IN BASAWA, SABON GARI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
LAND SUITABILITY CLASSIFICATION FOR MAIZE PRODUCTION IN BASAWA, SABON GARI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2018-09
Authors
SHEHU, Aminu Momodu
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Abstract
This study assessed land suitability for maize production in Basawa area of Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Satellite Imageries, Global Positioning System (GPS), Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) DEM were used to generate data on the elevation, slope, aspect, drainage and soil texture of the study area. Multi Criteria Evaluation (MCE) was used for land evaluation and eighty (80) soil samples from a grid map of the area at a depth of 0 – 30cm to analyze the soil pH, magnesium, Nitrogen, Cations Exchange Capacity, Sodium, Organic matter, Calcium, Phosphorus and Potassium levels. Land characteristics map combined with the soil physicochemical parameters were subsequently integrated in Arc GIS 10.3 to generate the land suitability map for the selected crop. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used in analyzing the weighting criteria for suitability class. The pH of the soil ranges from (4.12), low Sodium (0.3586mol kg-1) and low Phosphorous (9.38mg kg-1), Nitrogen (0.617g kg-1) and Organic matter (1.04%). Other characteristics of the soil were medium concentration of Magnesium (0.86mol kg-1), Potassium (0.17mg kg-1) and Calcium (4.1286mol kg-1) and Cations Exchange Capacity (6.41cmol(+) kg-1). Suitability analysis revealed that only 4411.67sq.m2 (8.91%) of the land is highly suitable for the growth of maize. While 26069.38sq.m2 (52.65%) is moderately suitable, 14151.99sq.m2 (28.58%) and 4878.75sq.m2 (9.86%) of the land were found to be marginally and not suitable respectively. The study recommends the need for effective land management techniques by the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture to increase the nutrient level and balance the physiochemical concentration of the soil elements to attain a higher suitability level for the growth of maize.
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A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER DEGREE IN REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, FACULTY OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
LAND SUITABILITY CLASSIFICATION,, MAIZE PRODUCTION,, BASAWA,, SABON GARI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA