Agro-Ecological Zoning for South West Selangor
using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System
K. F. Loh, M. Halid, N. Surip and S. A. Hashim
Malaysian Centre For Remote Sensing (MACRES)
5th Floor, City Square Center, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603-2645640 Fax: 603-264
E-mail : lpa@macres.gov.my
Abstract
MACRES has conducted a study on agro-ecological zoning of South West Selangor using the integration of remote sensing and Geogrphic Information System (GIS). Five parameters - land cover/use, landform, terrain, soil and climate were used for agro-suitability assessment adopting the procedure sin the UN- Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) document entitled 'Agro-ecological Zoning'. The land cover/use, landform and soil layers were generated from visual interpretation of satellite data accompanied by intensive ground verifications. The terrain layer was produced from a Digital Elevation model (DEM) derived from digitized contour lines. Two climatic layers-duration of dry season and annual rainfall distribution were generated through interpolation of point files digitized in the GIS. Crop requirements data were taken from the FAO guideline with modifications to suit the Malaysian environment setting. Four crops - rubber, oil palm, cocoa and paddy were assessed because of their socio-economic significance to the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The agro-ecological zone (AEZ) map was produced using overlay analysis technique in the GIS. The agro-land suitability map was generated by matching the crop requirements with the land characteristics in each AEZ unit through cross-tabulation method, giving due considerations to the present agricultural land use.
1.0 Introduction
Agriculture land in the state of Selangor occupies some 46% of the total land area, comprising mainly of oil palm, rubber, cocoa and paddy. In line with the National Agricultural Policy the state is targeting for 60% self sufficiency in rice production. Industrial crops- oil palm, rubber and cocoa, which are expected to generate more value added commercial products to meet the domestic and international markets, will be give emphasis.
2.0 Objectives
The main objective of this study is to delineate agro-ecological and agro-land suitability zones for the state of Selangor, Malaysia using the integration of remote sensing and GIS technologies. However this paper presents the results obtained over over a pilot area- South West Selangor.
3.0 The Study Area
The state of Selangor covers an area of some 8000 square kilometers and is located between latitudes 2.58 N and 3.83 N and longitudes 101.17 E and 102.00 E.
The Main Range of post traissic biotic granite intrusion, having narrow valleys and steep crest., occurs in the north-east of Selangor. Occurring on the fringe of this range is a metamorphic zone of schists and quartzites with hilly to steep terrain. Away from the range and towards the straits of Malacca, where the folded sedimentary zone was least altered, the topography is mainly undulating. Overlying the sedimentary plain are quaternary marine alluvia.
The climate of Seangor is governed by two moist monsoonal air streams from the north east (October-February) and the south west (May-September). There is not district dry season. Average daily temperature ranges from 21C to 32 C and mean annual temperature is 26 C. Daily humidity level exceeds 80%.
