Cultivable Area Zoning of Saffron in Kermanshah Province: An Option for Crop Pattern Change to Cope Water Scarcity

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor of Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.

2 MSc student of Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract

Saffron is a healthy and organic product. Regular planning and ordered infrastructure can play an important role in the terms of exportation of agricultural products. Saffron is a low water consumer plant and highly recommended for water consumption optimization. It can be replaced by the plants with high water consumption. The main aim of this study was to identify suitable areas to saffron harvesting in Kermanshah province with regard to some of the main effective factors. Twenty years of meteorology data (1994-2013) from Applied Meteorology Research Center of Kermanshah including temperature, precipitation, number of frost days was used for this investigation. Also information of three meteorological stations in Sanandaj and Qorveh, In the North of Kermanshah and Ilam in the south of Kermanshah were used to enhance the accuracy of the zoning maps. Digital Elevation Map (DEM) of Kermanshah, slope and vegetation of land cover were prepared as the inputs of ArcGIS10 to draw a spatial data base of the studies area. At the end, the descriptive information was added to the map. Based on the requirements for each parameter, regard to the sources used in this study and using AHP method, the weighting procedure was done in different layers and classifying maps. Finally, overlapping layers in the ArcGIS10 were provided. The results showed that in some areas of Kermanshah, Mahidasht, Islamabad, the southern part of Javanrood, Rawansar, Kangavar, Gilan-e-Gharb and Sarpol-ezahab were favorable conditions for saffron cultivation in Kermansah province. Additionally the results of this investigation showed that about 13.3% equal 3258.2 km2 in Kemanshah province were unsuitable for saffron cultivation.

Keywords

References

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Land Management Journal
Volume 4, Issue 1
March 2016
Pages 1-11

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