Land Suitability Assessment for Irrigated Wheat Cultivation in West of Ahwaz County, Using Integration AHP Method and GIS

Assessment of land suitability is one of the basic approaches to maximizing profits and protecting environmental resources. The purpose of this study was to determine the land suitability of Ahwaz county for cultivation of irrigated wheat using AHP Method and GIS. Ecological factors, agricultural factors and other parameters affecting wheat cultivation in Ahwaz county were determined. Soil permeability, soil texture, EC, pH, slope, accessibility to main roads and markets, and net income were selected. Data were collected by questionnaires distributed among farmers, experts, and government organizations. The results showed that economic criteria and soil characteristics had the highest weight, so that net income with the weight of 0.316 was ranked first. It has been found that average net income and benefit/cost ratio were 10.2 million rials per hectare and 0.44, respectively. The highest cost in wheat production was observed in machinery and equipment. Based on integration of GIS layers and assessment of land suitability, it was found that of total land area, 11.1% was very suitable, 32.5% was suitable, 30.4% was moderate, and 26% was unsuitable for wheat cultivation.