Selection of Suitable Sites for Small Ruminant Farming Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the most suitable areas for small ruminant  farming in the Karaburun area in Izmir province, Turkey. To this purpose, an inquiry  model was first developed using remote sensing and a geographic information system.  In developing the model, legal and technical factors were taken into consideration, and  eight evaluation criteria (distance from settled areas, distance from lakes or similar  water sources, distance from protected water catchment basins, distance from wind energy generators, distance from irrigation and drainage canals, slope, aspect – direction  of slope – and land use class) and three evaluation classes in relation to these criteria  (suitable, conditionally suitable and unsuitable) were planned. Later, the model was  used to test the suitability of the study area in general and five sample farms in that area  for suitability. According to all of the criteria of evaluation, 3.54% of the 42 707.15 ha 15 study area was found to be suitable for small ruminant farming, 2.78% was  conditionally suitable, and 93.60% was unsuitable. As for the five sample farms in the  study area, none of them was found to be suitable according to all of the evaluation  criteria. In addition, suggestions were made for the functionality and effectiveness in  use of the geography information inquiry models used in the choice of places for small ruminant farming.