Multi-criteria land evaluation for suitability analysis of wheat: a case study of a watershed in eastern plateau region, India

Improper land use results in land degradation as well as decline in agricultural productivity. To obtain optimum benefit from the land, proper utilization of its resources is necessary. Land suitability analysis is the evaluation and grouping of specific areas of land in terms of their suitability for a defined use, which is a precondition for sustainable land use planning. This study investigated the applicability of Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques in combination with multi-criteria land evaluation for analysing land suitability. The study used the weighted overlay technique for multi-criteria evaluation with GIS for the assessment of suitability of wheat cultivation in Beko watershed (Purulia, India). The watershed area is moderately suitable for wheat crop production, with constraints like imperfect drainage and poor soil depth.