Establishment of digital land resources database for land use planning: a case study of eastern Morogoro rural district, Tanzania

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Date

2001

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Sokoine University of Agriculture

Abstract

A study was conducted in the eastern part of Morogoro Rural District to establish digital land resources database which could be used when making decision on land use planning. Four Divisions namely; Mkuyuni, Matombo, Mvuha and Bwakira Chini were included in the study. Land resources data for climate (rainfall and temperature), physiography and soils and socio-economic were collected and compiled from field survey and other sources. The data were analysed, characterised and computerized to generate digital land resources database. The generated databases were stored, manipulated and geoproccssed using computer and various softwares to produce digital spatial and non-spatial information which included thematic maps for elevation, climate, length of growing period (LGP), soils and agroecological zones. Tables on land attribute database, descriptive soil legend and reports were other digital products generated. The digital databases were then used to run land evaluation for the area. Automated land evaluation system (ALES) was employed to compute physical land suitability Evaluation for specified land utilization types (LUTs) i.e. maize, rice, citrus and sesame. The results of the suitability evaluation showed that 57% of the area could be used to produce maize, 85% to produce citrus, 22% paddy and 78% to produce sesame; with production potentials ranging from moderate to poor for all studied LUTs. The major limitations were erosion hazard, nutrient availability, rooting condition and wetness. Citrus was more suited to the area, followed by sesame, maize and lowland rice. The study has demonstrated that greater capability for storing, displaying spatial and non-spatial data in different forms and scales, data analysis and computation of land evaluations exist when land resources data are captured in digital format. Basing on this conclusion, it is highly recommended that land resources data at any level should be inventoried and automated to simplify the process of land use planning.

Description

Dissertation

Keywords

Digital land resources, Land use planning

Citation