Land Suitability Analysis for Organic Agriculture in Sioux County, Iowa using Remote Sensing Techniques

Keywords: Organic farming, remote sensing techniques, land suitability
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

For an agriculture/farming system to be sustainable, it has to be capable of feeding the world population long-term. This is where Organic farming comes in. It is a farming system practice that works in sync with nature, synthetic-free inputs (contamination), utilizing on-farm biotechniques for soil conservation and pest management with a core emphasis on eco-biodiversity, health, equality, and care for humans and the environment. With the increase in consumer awareness, it is important that Organic farming is put into consideration in decision-making.

In this study, an attempt is made to identify agricultural land that could be suitable for organic farming in Sioux County Iowa using satellite-based remote sensing technologies, by distinguishing land types, slope, drainage patterns, soil moisture, water level, physical infrastructure, and census statistics data available which will then be processed, integrated, and analyzed.

Remote sensing technology integrates data from various sources. In this project, we will use the Landsat MSS, SPOT 5 satellite imagery and aerial photos from the NAIP program as reference data for accuracy assessment. Further, the process will utilize a supervised classification method using ERDAS IMAGINE 2022 software. In the classification, six categories of land use/land cover types i.e.: water, agriculture, urban/suburban, bare land, forests, and wetland will be studied.

As further research is put into the study, more information will be made available in better understanding and identifying land suitable for organic farming and proper land management which can be employed for a sustainable agriculture practice.