Land Suitability Analysis for Sustainable Production of Selected Cereals in Southeastern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study has evaluated suitability of the Sinana Research Site (SRS) (southeastern Ethiopia) for sustainable wheat and barley production to improve local food security. Physical land evaluation was undertaken using data about ten land characteristics. Matching land characteristics with land use requirements was made, first. Decision on the overall level of suitability of the area for wheat and barley farming was conducted using the “maximum limiting factor” technique. Over two-third (70.2%) of SRS was marginally suitable for barley farming, but 29.8% of the area was “not suitable” for it. Only slightly less than three-fifth (57.6%) of the area was marginally suitable for wheat production, and the rest 42.4% was “not suitable” for it. Deficient N and P supply and soil alkalinity were critical constraints of land suitability for both crops. Thus, integrated application of inorganic and organic fertilizers and rotating leguminous crops with wheat and barley are useful to mitigate deficiency of N and P in the soil. Hence, farms under “marginally” and “not” suitable classes could be improved to moderate (S2) or high (S1) level of suitability for the crops studied. This, in turn, improves yield and food security status of households in the study area.