A Land Evaluation Framework for Agricultural Diversification

Ebrahim Jahanshiri, Nur Marahaini Mohd Nizar, Tengku Adhwa Syaherah Tengku Mohd Suhairi, Peter J. Gregory, Ayman Salama Mohamed, Eranga M. Wimalasiri and Sayed N. Azam-Ali
Additional contact information
Ebrahim Jahanshiri: Crops for the Future Research Centre, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Nur Marahaini Mohd Nizar: Crops for the Future Research Centre, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Tengku Adhwa Syaherah Tengku Mohd Suhairi: Crops for the Future Research Centre, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Peter J. Gregory: Crops for the Future Research Centre, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Ayman Salama Mohamed: Crops for the Future Research Centre, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Eranga M. Wimalasiri: Crops for the Future Research Centre, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Sayed N. Azam-Ali: Crops for the Future Research Centre, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: Shortlisting ecologically adaptable plant species can be a starting point for agricultural diversification projects. We propose a rapid assessment framework based on an ecological model that can accelerate the evaluation of options for sustainable crop diversification. To test the new model, expert-defined and widely available crop requirement data were combined with more than 100,000 occurrence data for 40 crops of different types (cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and tubers/roots). Soil pH, texture, and depth to bedrock data were obtained and harmonised based on the optimal rooting depths of each crop. Global baseline temperature and rainfall data were used to extract averages at each location. To evaluate the ability of the method to capture intraspecies variation, a test was performed using more than 1000 accession records of bambara groundnut ( Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) as an exemplar underutilised crop. Results showed that a suitability index based on soil pH and an index that combines the thermal suitability moderated by the soil pH, texture, and depth suitability have the potential to predict crop adaptability. We show that the proposed method can be combined with traditional land use and crop models to evaluate diversification options for sustainable land and agrobiodiversity resources management.

Keywords: agrobiodiversity knowledge; land evaluation; intraspecies variation; underutilised crops; agroecology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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