Alaa Khallouf
General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research ،Administration of Natural Resourses
Faculty of Agriculture,Damascus University, 
2017

Abstract

In developing countries, where resources are often scarce, land availability, productivity potential, capability and sustainability for agriculture and, planning and maximizing the use of the land resources for a particular land utilization type is essential. In order to ensure appropriate decision and, continued and sustainable productivity, thereby continuing to support the population economically without degradation, land use planning is essential. Remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems(GIS) are useful tools in land use planning processes .in this study 4 landscape units (costal leveled plains ,valleys and channel bed, Piedmont :slight slopping ,moderately slopping ,sever slopping ,and Summit unit) were described and compared its characteristics with the land utilization requirements for 6 land utilization types (LUT1: irrigated citrus low mechanized ,LUT2: irrigated potato high mechanized ,LUT3: irrigated tomato medium mechanized,LUT4: rainfed olive low mechanized,LUT5:rainfed wheat low mechanized, LUT6:natural forests)by using LAMIS program .the results showed that43.07% of studied area is moderate suitability S3, 27.9% is low suitabilityS4 ,and 20.24% is unsuitable N1.the land suitability evaluation for LUT2 :35.18% good suitability S2 ,35.17% moderate suitabilityS3 and 20.24% low suitability S4 and for LUT3:50.97% good suitability S2,20.04% moderate suitabilityS3 and 20.24% low suitability S4. 43.07% of lands are very suitable S1 for LUT4 ,27.91% good
suitability S2 and 20.24% moderate suitabilityS3.for LUT6 ; land suitability evaluation shown that 59.24% of lands are very suitable S1 and 31.93% good suitable S2.
Land use planning processes include matching between physical and socio-economic conditions by using Definite program .optimal land utilization types are determined depending on 3 multi-criteria ( costs ,gross margin , water requirements for irrigation) and according to two scenarios ( SC1:conservative scenario with concerned to water requirements , SC2:economic scenario with concerned to gross margin ).the results showed that LUT4 is the optimal current land use type of all three physiographic units (costal leveled plains ,valleys and channel bed and slight slopping).2 suggested land utilization types ( LUT7:irrigated kiwi low mechanized ,LUT8:irrigated groundnuts high mechanized) are proposed to costal leveled plains and compared with LUT4,comparison results shown that LUT4 is the optimal land use according to SC1 and LUT7 is the optimal land use type according to SC2.for valley and channel bed unit , the optimal land use type according to SC1 is multiple land use type ( rainfed wheat under rainfed olive trees) and according to SC2 is LUT7.3 land utilization types(LUT7,LUT8,LUT9: rainfed lentil low mechanized)are suggested for slight slopping piedmont .the results of planning process showed that the optimal land use type is LUT4 for both scenarios SC1,SC2.
Key Words:
Land suitability,Remote sensing,Geographic information systems,Land use planning ,Land characteristics