Land Suitability Evaluation Using Gis for Vegetable Crops in Kathmandu Valley /Nepal
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LAND SUITABILITY EVALUATION USING GIS FOR VEGETABLE CROPS IN KATHMANDU VALLEY /NEPAL Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Doctor rerum agriculturarum (Dr.rer.agr.) eingereicht an der Landwirtschaftlich-Gärtnerischen Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin von M.Sc. Nabarath Baniya geboren am 01.12.1969 in Kathmandu, Nepal dem Präsident der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Prof. Dr. Christoph Markschies Dekan der Landwirtschaftlich-Gärtnerischen Fakultät Prof. Dr. Dr. N.c. Otto Kaufmann Gutachter: Prof. Dr. sc Drs. h. c. Michael H. Böhme Dr. rer. agr. Michael La Rosa Perez Berlin, 13. Oktober 2008 Dedication To my parents, Udaya Bahadur Baniya and Til Kumari Baniya, who would have appreciated seeing it if they were still alive. II ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to express my gratitude to all those who have given me assistance, help and support during the completion of my PhD in Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin. I acknowledge a deep sense of gratitude to Prof. Dr. Michael Böhme my supervisor, who had always spread his helping hands during my PhD study periods, and given me guidance, valuable suggestion, critical comments and kindness during and completion of present work. His innovative research ideas kind patient and effective guidance throughout my work need not to be exaggerated. This thesis would never be accomplished in this shape without his selfless contributions in various aspects. I am very happy to state that I got to learn a lot from his experience in field of horticulture science. I gratefully acknowledge Dr. rer. agr. Michael La Rosa Perez, LGF, WISOLA, for guiding me on analytical aspect of the present dissertation. GIS tool is the crux of my study, is accomplished with his tireless help. Thanks to Dr. Ina Pinker for constant inspiration and supportive remarks for the completion of this thesis. My appreciation is extended to Mr. Mirko Houseworth, a good friend of mine for his valuable support in GIS work and to Dr. Shyam Pathak for appreciable help in text arrangements. I am very much thankful to all my family members who always support me to pursue my goal. My sincere gratitude goes to my late parents and parents in law for their support. My daughters Ahushuya and Awantika and son Abhinav are also equally thankful for being patient and supportive when I was away from them during my study periods. Finally, very special thanks to my beloved wife Saroja for her support and understanding during my absence and taking care of household matters in the most unfortunate situation ever come in my life. Her inspirational remarks led me toward this path of the achievement. Her support in my achievement is always immense. I am very indebted to my late parents, mother Til Kumari Baniya and Father Udaya Bahadur Baniya, who were much interested to see my PhD in their life time. They were the crux of III my encouragement and achievement. I wish to offer sincere thanks to my elder brothers Mr. Dasharath Baniya and Bhagirath Baniya from whom; I received positive and supportive inspiration that led me to materialize my goal. At last, my colleagues, Chuong (Vietnam), Ida Asranti (Indonesia) who helped in one way or the other while working together in institute. I thank them from core of my heart.. Finally, I am grateful to the members and staff of Institute of horticulture, Lentzaalee 75 for their timely cooperation. N. Baniya Institute of Horticutural Scienc Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture Humboldt University zu Berlin Berlin Germany Berlin, July 2008 IV ABSTRACT Kathmandu is a valley situated in hilly area of central Nepal. It has high population density and ever increasing food demand. Land capabilities and cultivation potential seems diminishing. This could results negative consequences to environment and livelihood of Kathmandu dwellers as well. Therefore, research hypothesized that, if land suitability evaluation in wider range is performed, production potential and production of the land would be revitalized. Multi-criteria land suitability evaluation of Kathmandu valley for vegetable crop is felt necessary for the sustainable land use and better vegetable production. So, a main objective of this study is to classify available agricultural land area of Kathmandu valley into different suitable classes for vegetable crop cultivation. Field level information has been gathering through different possible sources. Main spatial and non spatial data were obtained through field work, literature review, expert opinions, interviews of local farmers, professional agencies and other information from the local authorities. Blending up of bottom-up and Top-down approach for decision making process results very positively. Methodology follows the guidelines prepared by FAO (1976) and later version. Considering environmental condition, social parameters and economic indicators are subjected to basic data sources analysis because of the unique social and economic status in Kathmandu valley. This is an approach for site specific modification of the FAO guideline (1976). Analytical part begins with development of Land information System (LIS), which is computer aided GIS based data management. Built up area and non-agriculture were omitted from the analysis. Suitability evaluation was carried out in two different phases, namely 1) Physical land suitability evaluation and 2) Socio-economic-infrastructural land evaluation. From the GIS data, Kathmandu valley still shows the area of 23519ha of potential land for agricultural of which only 1.33 percent land is unsuitable. Currently no land units are highly suitable (S1) and 31 percent and 66 percent area are falls in the category of S2 and S3 respectively. If land condition is improved and updated from current physical suitability with appropriate management input, potential land suitability will be achieved. So, 17.3 percent, 38.6 percent and 42.6 percent area computed as potentiality suitability class of S1, S2 and S3 respectively. Each land mapping unit is bases for the suitability analysis which collectively makes the overlaying thematic maps in GIS tool. Result from the physical land suitability subject to make combined with socioeconomic land suitability evaluation. Together research identifies 15 challenging sub-criteria from three main criteria. This is the fundamental aspect V of multi-criteria land suitability evaluation where economic and social dimension is incorporated into GIS technical tool. For ranking and important judgment of the sub-criteria, pair-wise comparison using AHP process was carried out. The total out put is portrayed in the thematic map of the Kathmandu valley. In this case physical land evaluation includes parameter that satisfy requirement of the vegetable crops and multi-criteria analysis evaluated social and economic indicators of Kathmandu valley. Final result of the multi- criteria land suitability evaluation of Kathmandu valley show that more than 90 percent land area can hold good vegetable cultivation. Together they can meet little above 70 percent demand of the Kathmandu valley. So, result of this study hast to communicate to farmers to make full use of land potential for the development of vegetable cultivation. Furthermore, LIS prepared in this research could lead to make analysis for other agricultural crops in Kathmandu. At the same time, this model can also be expanded in other parts of country for better land management purpose. From the result, multi-criteria Land suitability evaluation with the use of GIS and AHP is appropriate methodology in the countries like Nepal. However in Nepal, availability of the up-to-date data information is problem that cause building the LIS database is difficult task. Therefore it is recommended from the research to set a panel for gathering and updating reliable and consistent data, both spatial and attribute data. It is also concluded that besides, governmental organisation, INGOs and NGOs involved in this field needs to contribute on managing information and data and also the software systems. VI ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Kathmandu befindet sich in einem Tal in der Gebirgsregion Zentral-Nepals. Bedingt durch die hohe Bevölkerungsdichte gibt es eine steigende Nachfrage nach Lebensmitteln. Die Ressourcen des Landes und der potenzielle Ertrag scheinen demgegenüber aber abzunehmen. Ein Resultat sind negative Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt und die Existenzgrundlage der Bewohner dieser Region. Aus diesem Grund ist die Hypothese dieser Arbeit, dass durch eine großmaßstäbige Untersuchung der Bodenbeschaffenheit das Produktionspotenzial und damit die Produktion des Landes erhöht werden kann. Eine Evaluation nach entscheidungstheoretischen Ansätzen des Kathmandu-Tals im Hinblick auf den Gemüseanbau erscheint unter dem Aspekt einer nachhaltigen Landnutzung und einer erhöhten Gemüseproduktion notwendig. So ist ein entscheidender Ansatz dieser Arbeit, die verfügbaren Anbauflächen im Kathmandu-Tal in verschiedene Eignungsklassen für den Gemüseanbau zu klassifizieren. Informationen über Zustand und Wert der Anbauflächen wurden aus verschiedensten möglichen Quellen zusammengestellt. Grundsätzliche räumliche und nicht-räumliche Daten wurden durch eigene Erhebungen, Literaturrecherche, Expertenmeinungen, Interviews lokaler Bauern, professionellen Beratungsunternehmen und anderer Informationen der lokalen Behörden erfasst. Durch die Mischung eines ”bottom-up” bzw. “top-down” Ansatzes für den Entscheidungsfindungsprozess wurden positive Resultate erzielt.