Enhancing land suitability assessment through integration of AHP and GIS-based for efficient agricultural planning in arid regions

Land Suitability Assessment (LSA) aids in identifying optimal crop cultivation sites; thereby, it is the key factor for proper planning to maximize production yield. It needs a combination of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) to improve LSA for the production of barley, beans, maize, soybean, sugar beet, and wheat in Egypt's New Delta. Topography (slope), and characteristics of the soil (depth, pH, texture, carbonate content, and salinity) were the six factors employed. Land was assessed on a five-level suitability scale-highly suitable (S1), moderately suitable (S2), marginally suitable (S3), currently not suitable (N1), and permanently not suitable (N2). Pairwise comparisons and consistency ratios in AHP were used to determine weights for the criteria. Weighted overlay analysis produced land suitability maps. Key findings indicate slope as the primary factor for barley and wheat and soil properties as more significant for beans, soybean, and sugar beet. Barley, beans, maize, soybean, and wheat were assessed as highly suitable (S1), moderately suitable (S2), and marginally suitable (S3), but sugar beet was assessed as moderately suitable (S2). The results are valid for crop rotation for increased production and soil fertility by the appropriate use of AHP and GIS in sustainable land use management.