An agro-ecorogical land quality evaluation 01 an area In Kafr EI-5heikh
Governorate was determined using the MicroLEIS IP (Integrated Package) which
included the assessment of the general land use capabilily (Cervatana model), land
suitability for different agricultural crops (Almagra model). prediction of the productivity
01 maize and wheal (Albero model), and assessment of the vulnerability of land and
groundwater to agrochemlcal contaminations (Arenal model). According to the model
prediction, most 01 the study area was classified as 521. which indicate good capability
with soil being the limiting factor. Land included In this class has certain topographic
and eoaphlc limitation. which somewhat reduce the productive capability of certain
crops. The geo-spalial distribution of the soil suitability in the study area indicated that
more than 80% 01 the area is classified as moderately suitable soils (S2) for cotton
cullivationjt)n the other hand, more than 77% is classified as 52 for corn cultivation,
however two soil profiles (9 and 10) indicated poor suitability lor corn (S4 and S5) due
to their high soil salinity. Furthermore, the model predicted that approximately 59 and
64% of the study area has marginally suitability (53) for wheat and sugar beet
respectively. Since MicroLEIS model does not include soil suitability lor rice
cultivation, it was carried out manually according to the same principles applied in
MicroLEIS model. The result indicated that more than 55% of the stUdy area has high
suitability for rice cultivation. Soil productivity prediction (Albero Model) was performed
for corn and wheat assuming best management practices (8MPs). The model
predicted an average yield for corn to be 5,174 Kglha, which is in agreement with the
local average (4,970 Kglha.), however the national average is 10,420 Kg/ha. It was
noticeable that farmers, using their indigenous and local knowledge, stay away from
corn cultivation in this area. The model predicted that average yield for wheat to be
6,275 Kg/ha, which is dose to being equal to the nalional average (6.041 Kg/ha),
while the actual local average yield is 4,068 Kg/ha. Vulnerability of land and
groundwater to contamination by agrochemical compounds was predicted using
Arenal model. The model predicted that 81.68% of the study area was classified as
low vulnerability (V2) while Ihe rest o( the area (18.32%) was classified as moderate
vulnerability (V3). Detection of land use changes using two satellite images acquired
in 1985 and 1999, indicated Ihat cultivated soil was the dominant land use, which
increased (rom 47.50% in 1984 to 58.35% in 1999 due to the new land reclarnatlon
projects in the area. The urbanization area increased from 3.08% in 1985 to 7.94% in
1999. Two types were introduced to the area and detected In the 1999 image only.
which were the fish farms (6.17%) and citrus trees (4.93%).