Busia Land Quality Maps

Although in many systems of land evaluation, single or land characteristics such as drainage condition or texture are used as a basis for diagnosis and for establishing suitability class-determining specifications, it is most useful and ideal to consider the characteristics. Single characteristics are therefore grouped into a combination called land quality, which can be used as an independent diagnostic criterion reflecting limitations for land use. It can be quantified and rated and then used to specify criteria or suitability class units. The Kenya soil survey prepared proposals for the rating of the land qualities, which are laid in the Internal Communications Nos. 7 and 29 (Kenya Soil Survey, 1977 and 1988 respectively). Land qualities are classified into three to five grades ranging from very high to very low. The current suitability evaluation of ‘each mapping unit’ for each land use alternative was carried out by comparison of the rating of the land qualities of that particular map unit with the specifications for each land use alternative (decision matrices).

FAO. (1988). FAO/UNESCO Soil Map of the World, Revised Legend. World Soil Resources Report, 60, pp.110.

FAO. (1977). Guidelines for Soil Profile Description. 2nd edition. FAO, Rome.

Independent diagnostic criteria reflecting limitations for land use.