Land Sensitivity Analysis for Fragile Agro-Ecosystem: Environmental Indicators.

The Degradation process, especially of agriculturally used dryland, tightly relates to both excessive human exploitation on land resource system and inherent ecological fragility of the system. Egypt has the largest population in the Middle East. Ninety-five per cent of the population lives on only 4% of the land. Agricultural conditions are exceptional; lack of rain, arable land represents only 3% of the total surface area of the country, about 70% of the arable land consists of traditional valley and delta ‘oldlands’, while 30% is former desert areas that have been reclaimed (‘newlands’). The improvement in the agricultural productivity of the newlands has been slow under smallholder conditions, and the time required achieving sufficient productivity levels. In addition, the desert new reclaimed soil often vulnerable to degradation risk regarding to their fragility. The main objectives of this study are assessment, qualifying and mapping the most sensitive areas to degradation according to MEDALUS approach. These objectives were done by: a) analyzing multiple of soil, climate, water irrigation, vegetation, and land management quality indicators as main factors that effect on land degradation process; b) calculating the environmental sensitivity area index (ESAI) based on these indicators; c) producing different raster layers in GIS environment for each indicators. The results indicate that ESAI for Bustan 3 area, Egypt ranged from <1.3 to >1.5. Around 7% of Bustan 3 is considered fragile agro-ecosystem (<1.3) with degree of limitation ranged from 1 to 2. About 85% of Bustan 3 area is classified as critical ESAI (1.3-1.5) due to soil and climate factors. Finally, around 7% of the investigated area has the highest critical ESAI which have to take more attention during the sustainable management practices.

Keywords: Land Degradation, MEDALUS, GIS mapping