Sustainable farming practices: adapting land cover to land use

Authors: Anabela Grifo & Albertina Ferreira

Abstract

Land use management is important for preserving the environment. To achieve more sustainable agriculture, capable of producing better quality products with less environmental impact, it is necessary to know the soil, its occupation, and the most appropriate occupation.

The main of this study was to identify and classify areas of land use and land cover conflicts in an agricultural field, occupied with maize crop and located in the district of Santarém (8.637453W; 39.320977N). To accomplish this goal, we used the soil map, the land use and land cover cartography, the land use capacity map, at scale 1:50000, sheet 27-C, digitalized and georeferenced, the digital elevation model and data from Google Earth Pro, developed in ArcGISTM. Performing a spatial analysis of land use using data from different sources it was possible to identify two conflict zones – overuse (approximately 72%) and suitable (approximately 28%) – which allowed the conclusion that the existent crop is not, for the largest of the field, the most suitable.This work made it possible to delimit conflict zones regarding land use, as well as to have a better perception in spatial terms of the areas that should be explored.

Adapting the crop to the type of soil promotes better soil conservation and safer production, contributing to a healthier food system for people and the planet.

Keywords: land cover conflict; land use; mapping; sustainable management.

Read the full article in March 2024 Newsletter