A Simplified Spatial Methodology for Assessing Land Productivity Status in Africa
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Land
Abstract
The degradation of soil, vegetation and socio-economic transformations are a huge threat
to Africa’s land production. This study aimed to (i) assess the soil and land productivity of standing
biomass and (ii) determine the effect of rainfall on the standing biomass in Eastern Africa. Soil
productivity was determined using the Soil Productivity Index (SPI) and a simplified model was
developed to estimate the Net Primary Productivity (NPP). The SPI indicators used included soilorganic
matter, texture, soil moisture, base-saturation, pH, cation-exchange-capacity, soil-depth and
drainage. The inputs of the simplified model are: MODIS Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI),
soil erosion, soil nutrient content and input, rainfall, land-use/cover and agro-ecological zones. The
findings reveal that the countries with the most productive soils are Mauritius, Rwanda and South
Sudan—while, for standing biomass, the countries with the highest spatial extent are Mauritius
(97%), Rwanda (96%), Uganda (95%), South Sudan (89%), Ethiopia (47%) and Kenya (36%). Standing
biomass is dominant in biomes such as natural forests, woodlands, croplands, grasslands, wetlands
and tree-plantations. High land productivity was attributed to soil quality and management, land
policy reforms, favourable climatic conditions and sustainable land husbandry activities. Rainfall
was significantly correlated with standing biomass in most of the studied countries (p < 0.05) except
Djibouti and Rwanda. Therefore, monitoring soil health, use and land reforms are key to sustaining
vegetative biomass.
Description
Keywords
Land productivity, SAVI, Soil erosion, QGIS, Soil fertility, Africa
Citation
Bernard, B.; Mwanjalolo, M.J.G.; Moses, B.; James, K.; Paul, M.; Ojoatre, S.; Lydia,W.;Walusimbi, M.N. A Simplified Spatial Methodology for Assessing Land Productivity Status in Africa. Land 2022, 11, 730. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/land11050730