Land Suitability Model for Rubber Crop in Kalutara District

Abstract

Agriculture is vital to the economy of Sri Lanka, providing many jobs and contributing to a large portion of the gross domestic product. Rubber is one of the major plantation crops grown in Sri Lanka, which generates foreign earnings to the country. To cope up with the increasing demand for rubber in both local and international markets it is vital to increase the extent under rubber cultivation. Hence, the objective of this study is to develop a land suitability model for rubber in Kalutara district and to identify potential land uses for further expansion of rubber in this district and develop a suitability map for rubber crop based on physical and climatic factors of production using a Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) & GIS approach. The study was carried out in GIS environment using weighted overlaying technique. Results from the suitability analysis revealed that, the DS division, Agalawatta, Bulathsinhala, Palindanuwara and Walallawita District Secretariat Divisions has the highest extent of „most suitable‟ category. The information derived through this study offer a ground for the policy makers for effective decision making on expanding rubber cultivation in the Kalutara district. . The methodology can be adapted and applied for other crops and extrapolated to other areas with similar soil and climatic conditions.