Assessment of land suitability for oilseeds crops (sesame and groundnut) using geospatial techniques: In the case of Diga district, East Wollega zone, western Ethiopia

Sesame and groundnut crops are the major oilseed crops produced for exports and local consumptions in Ethiopia. This study attempted to evaluate land suitability for oilseeds crops using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and multi-criteria evaluation in Diga district of East Wollega zone, western Ethiopia. To support the growing population, sesame and groundnut land suitability evaluations were carried out to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production. Different data inputs were used, including mainly climate data (temperature and rainfall), topography data (slope), soil data (soil texture, soil depth and soil drainage), and infrastructure data (road and market). In this study, sesame and groundnut land suitability areas were categorized into 4 classes: highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable, and not suitable. The result revealed that, about 252.1 ha (0.4%) and 113.1 ha (0.2%) were highly suitable for sesame and groundnut respectively. Result showed that most parts of the study area were moderately suitable for sesame and groundnut productions. Specially, the central and western parts of the study area were highly suitable and moderately suitable for sesame production. The study recommended the local communities to utilize the existing potential of the study area for sesame and groundnut productions. Moreover, decision makers should promote the suitability of the area for both small- and large-scale investment on sesame and groundnut production.