Land suitability assessment for surface irrigation development at Ethiopian highlands using geospatial technology

Abstract Irrigation development necessitates suitable lands for higher yield production and the development of long-term irrigation systems. The purpose of this research was to identify appropriate irrigation lands for irrigation in the Minch Yekest watershed in West Amhara, Ethiopia. Geospatial and multi-criteria decision-making techniques were used in this study. For land suitability analysis for surface irrigation, slope, land use, altitude, distance from the water source, soil characteristics, and available water storage capacity parameters were used. To find the best location for surface irrigation, the values were weighted and combined using the weighted overlay tool. The irrigation land suitability of each physical land parameter was classified into four suitability classes (S1, S2, S3, and N) based on the Food and Agricultural Organization guideline. According to the findings, 63% of the watershed area is highly suitable, 6.25% is moderately suitable, 28.69% is marginally suitable, and 2.06% is not suitable for the aforementioned purposes. The methodological approach and study findings could help policymakers make better decisions when developing irrigation projects in Ethiopia.