Land suitability analysis for emerging fruit crops in central Portugal using GIS

Abstract

Fruit production represents an important component of agricultural production in Portugal with a positive impact on the economy, especially in rural areas. In recent years there has been an increase of investment in so called emerging crops. It is agreed that the choice of uses best suited to soil and climate conditions, complemented by socio-economic criteria, promotes the sustainable use of rural areas. The objective of this study is to determine the suitability for the cultivation of emerging fruit crops in the Beira Baixa region, based on the analysis of the soil and climate limiting factors. For this purpose, the biophysical criteria determining the cultivation of pistachio tree (Pistacia vera L.), strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.), almond tree (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) DA Webb) and walnut tree (Juglans regia L.) were processed using a Geographic Information System. The analysis was performed by the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). After divide the problem into hierarchical levels of decision making, a pairwise comparison of criteria was performed to evaluate the weights of these criteria, based on a scale of importance. The process was completed by validating the consistency of these operations. The AHP was adequate in the evaluation of the fruit tree species suitability, since it allowed the integration of the several criteria studied, being a useful tool, which allows the decision making and the resolution of problems. It is therefore essential to be aware of the suitability and resilience of new crops in order to meet the need to adapt to climate change.