EVALUATING LAND SUITABILITY FOR SOME PRINCIPAL CROPS IN NORTHWESTERN VIETNAM

Abstract

In this study, by applying FAO guideline for land evaluation, the agricultural land, productive forest land and unused land of the Northwestern Vietnam with total areas of 1,258,197.16 hectares were evaluated the suitability for some principal crops (paddy rice, maize, cassava, sugar cane, tea, Arabica coffee, rubber, tropical and temperate fruit trees). Based on land use requirements of the selected crops and the natural characteristics of the region, the following factors were chosen for evaluating land characteristics and compiling Land Unit Map: soil type, slope, depth of fine soil layer, soil texture, rock fragment content, irrigation ability and fertility of the top soil. The land evaluation results showed that due to complex topographic features and soil/land characteristics, the studied areas were comprised of many land units on the Land Unit Map (435 units). The results of evaluating land suitability for some selected crops showed that the highly suitable area for paddy rice, maize, cassava, sugar cane, tea, Arabica coffee, rubber, tropical fruit trees and temperate fruit trees in the Northwestern Vietnam were 68,650; 174,415; 163,714; 59,995; 227,419; 34,316; 86,833; 60,157; and 130.027 hectares respectively. These results are an useful document for agricultural land use planning in the Northwestern region of Vietnam.