Article info.

ABSTRACT

Received 07 Jun 2019
Revised 23 Nov 2019

Accepted 29 Nov 2019

The major purpose of this research is to seek out appropriate cultivated areas for paddy rice crop production in Quang Xuong district. Hence, the assessment of land suitability for this crop is essential for land-users and land managers to understand the capacity and restrictions of the existing land conditions for making suitable policies and plans of land use in the future. In this research, an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information system (GIS) were applied to assess land suitability for rice crop. The results found out that 24.82%, 52.33%, 18.40%, and 4.45% of the examined areas were classified as moderate, marginal, current, and permanent unsuitability levels, respectively for rice production. It was identified that the most important constraint factors in the growth of paddy rice were found to be the topography, organic matter, soil texture, soil depth and irrigation condition. The study also indicated that the spatial information resulted could be used to assist land use based directly on its potential to minimize environmental problems, and to increases individual farmers’ incomes through proper use.

Keywords

Analytic hierarchy process (AHP), geographic information system (GIS), land suitability evaluation, rice

Cited as: Hao, N.H., Van, P.V. and Ha, K.M., 2019. Applying AHP method and GIS to evaluate land suitability for paddy rice crop in Quang Xuong district, Thanh Hoa province. Can Tho University Journal of Science. 11(3): 1-10.