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Agro-Ecological Zoning for South West Selangor using Remote Sensing and
Geographic Information System
K. F. Loh, M. Halid, N. Surip and S. A. Hashim
Malaysian Centre For Remote Sensing (MACRES)
5th Floor, City Square Center, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603-2645640 Fax: 603-264
E-mail : lpa@macres.gov.my

Abstract
MACRES has conducted a study on agro-ecological zoning of South West Selangor using the integration of
remote sensing and Geogrphic Information System (GIS). Five parameters - land cover/use, landform, terrain,
soil and climate were used for agro-suitability assessment adopting the procedure sin the UN- Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) document entitled 'Agro-ecological Zoning'. The land cover/use, landform and soil
layers were generated from visual interpretation of satellite data accompanied by intensive ground verifications.
The terrain layer was produced from a Digital Elevation model (DEM) derived from digitized contour lines. Two
climatic layers-duration of dry season and annual rainfall distribution were generated through interpolation of point
files digitized in the GIS. Crop requirements data were taken from the FAO guideline with modifications to suit the
Malaysian environment setting. Four crops - rubber, oil palm, cocoa and paddy were assessed because of their
socio-economic significance to the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The agro-ecological zone (AEZ) map was
produced using overlay analysis technique in the GIS. The agro-land suitability map was generated by matching
the crop requirements with the land characteristics in each AEZ unit through cross-tabulation method, giving due
considerations to the present agricultural land use.

1.0 Introduction
Agriculture land in the state of Selangor occupies some 46% of the total land area, comprising mainly of oil palm,
rubber, cocoa and paddy. In line with the National Agricultural Policy the state is targeting for 60% self sufficiency
in rice production. Industrial crops- oil palm, rubber and cocoa, which are expected to generate more value
added commercial products to meet the domestic and international markets, will be give emphasis.

2.0 Objectives
The main objective of this study is to delineate agro-ecological and agro-land suitability zones for the state of
Selangor, Malaysia using the integration of remote sensing and GIS technologies. However this paper presents
the results obtained over over a pilot area- South West Selangor.

3.0 The Study Area

The state of Selangor covers an area of some 8000 square kilometers and is located between latitudes 2.58 N
and 3.83 N and longitudes 101.17 E and 102.00 E.

The Main Range of post traissic biotic granite intrusion, having narrow valleys and steep crest., occurs in the
north-east of Selangor. Occurring on the fringe of this range is a metamorphic zone of schists and quartzites with
hilly to steep terrain. Away from the range and towards the straits of Malacca, where the folded sedimentary
zone was least altered, the topography is mainly undulating. Overlying the sedimentary plain are quaternary
marine alluvia.

The climate of Seangor is governed by two moist monsoonal air streams from the north east (October-February)
and the south west (May-September). There is not district dry season. Average daily temperature ranges from
21C to 32 C and mean annual temperature is 26 C. Daily humidity level exceeds 80%.

4.0 Materials and Methods

The agro-ecological assessment of land and climate for agricultural suitability resided on three compound
activities, namely, (I) Inventory of land utilization types (LUTs) and their requirements, (ii) Inventory of land
resources and determination of agro-ecological zone (AEZ) based on bio-physical parameters and (iii)Evaluation
of LUTs suitability for each AEZ for production of the agro-land suitability zone.

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Inventory of LUTs
The LUTs relevant for the state of Selangor are (I) Industrial crops - oil palm, rubber and cocoa and (ii) Food
crop - Paddy. The requirements for optimum growth of these crops were taken from the FAO guideline entitled
'Agro-ecological Zoning' with modifications to suit Malaysian conditions.

Land Resource Inventory

This comprised land/use cover, soil, landform and climate characterization of the area. Landsat TM data were
used to extract these information, substantiated by intensive ground thruthing and ancillary data -geology,
topography and land/use cover maps. The terrain layer was generated from a digital elevation model (DEM)
derived from digitized contour lines.

Soil formation in Malaysia is greatly influenced by relief, landform ad geological sub-stratum. Therefore, in the
visual analysis of the satellite data (Landsat TM 453) for soil information extraction, the digitized geology and
landform vector layers were superimposed on the satellite image to help delineate more reliable soil boundaries.
Field inspections were also conducted to verify the soil mapping units determined.

Detailed land/use/cover information were extracted from the satellite data (Landsat TM 453) through visual
interpretation with the aid of existing land use data, derived from aerial photographs. Land use/cover units which
were inseparable visually, were classified as mixed classes (example oil palm -rubber).

In the climate characterization of the study area, two parameters were considered-duration of dry season (period
where the Agricultural Rainfall Index <40% with >20% probability) and the Average Annual Precipitation
Distribution. These climate data were computed from 16 rainfall stations within and around the study area and
ingested from the GIS as point files. The corresponding raster layers were output in the GIS through interpolation
techniques.

Delineation of agro-ecological zones

Delineation of the agro-ecological zones of the study area was done in a GIS environment using overlay analysis
in the spatial domain. Its basically a bio-physical assessment of land and climatic parameters, resulting in zones
of similar soil, climate, terrain and landform characterizations.

Agro-land Suitability Zones

Under the FAO guidelines four classes of agro-land suitability can be evaluated for -very suitable, suitable,
marginal and unsuitable. Matching the requirements of paddy, oil palm, rubber and cocoa with the land-climate
characteristics of each AEZ through cross tabulation in the GIS has enabled the production of the agro -land
suitability map. The present land use was also given due consideration in this assessment.

5. Results and Discussions

Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4 provide the LUTs requirements for optimum growth of paddy, oil palm, cocoa and rubber.
Tables 5 gives the land and climate characterization of each AEZ.. The agro-land suitability map is depicted in
Figures 1.

Table 1: Requirements for cocoa

Agro-suitability classes S1 S2 S3 N
Climatic
>2500
Annual rainfall (mm/yr) 1500-2500 1200-1000 <1000
1500-1200
Drymonth <1 <1 1-2 >2
somewhat poor, somewhat v.poor, dr., poor dr
Land Drainage well
Moderately well excessive excess drain
SaL., L, SaCL, SiL, gravels, sand,
Texture Lsa, SaC C, SiC
CL, Si, SicL massive clay, peat
Soil depth >150 100-150 60-100 <60
Slope % <10 10-21 21-37 >37

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Table 2 : Requirements for rubber

Agro-suitability classes S1 S2 S3 N
Climate
Annual rainfall (mm/yr) 2500-4000 >4000 2000-1500 <1500
Drymonth <1 1 2 >2
somewhat
Land Drainage well excessive somewhat v.poor
moderately well
Sal., L, SaCL, SiL, gravels, sand,
Texture Lsa, SaC C, SiC
CL, Si, SiCL, massive clay,peat
Soil depth >200 130-1200 80-130 <80
Slope % <10 10-37 37-47 >47

Table 3: Requirements for oil palm

Agro-suitability classes S1 S2 S3 N
Climate
3000-4000 4000-6000 <6000
Annual rainfall (mm/yr) 2000-3000
2000-1750 1750-1500 <1500
Drymonth 0-1 1-2 2-3 >3
well, moderately somewhat poor, somewhat v.poor,
Land Drainage
well poor excessive excess drain
SaL., L, SaCL, SiL, gravels, sand,
Texture Lsa, SaC SiC, peat, C
CL, SiCL massive clay
Soil depth >100 70-99 45-69 <45
Slope % <16 10-21 21-37 >37

Table 4 : Requirements for wetland rice (paddy)

Agro-suitability classes S1 S2 S3 N
Climate
Annual rainfall (mm/yr) >1500 1200-1500 800-1200 <800
Drymonth 0-3 3-9 9-9.5 >9.5
somewhat poor, very poor somewhat excessive
Land Drainage well
Moderately well poor excessive
SaL,L,SiCL,SiC, Massive clay
Texture CL,SaCL,SiL,Si, Sa, gravels, peat
C LSa
Soil depth >50 40-50 20-40 <20
Slope % 0-3 0-3 3-10 >10

Table 5: Characterization of Agro-ecological Zone (AEZ)

AEZ Soil Types Rainfall (mm) Drymonth Terrain %
1 Firm, clay, poor drain 1500-1750 2 0-3
2 Firm, clay, poorly drain 1500-1750 2 3-10
3 Firm, clay, poorly drain 1500-1750 2 21-37

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4 Friable, sandy clay loam 1500-1750 2 3-10

5 Firm, clay, poorly drain 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
6 Firm, clay, poorly drain 1750-2500 0-1 21-37
7 Friable, sandy clay loam 1750-2500 0-1 21-37
8 Friable, sandy clay loam 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
9 Peat (Hemist/sapprist) 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
10 Peat (Hemist/sapprist) 1750-2500 0-1 21-37
11 Friable, sandy clay loam 1500-1750 2 21-37
12 Massive, clay, deep 1500-1750 2 0-3
13 Friable, sandy clay loam 1750-2500 0-1 37-47
14 Friable, sandhy clay loam 1500-1750 2 37-47
15 Peat (Hemist/saprist) 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
16 Firm, clay, poorly drain 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
17 Firm, clay, poorly drain 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
18 Water bodies 1750-2500 0-1 21-37
19 Firm, clay, poorly drain 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
20 Distributed land 1750-2500 0-1 0-3
21 Distributed land 1750-2500 0-1 0-3
22 Massive clay, deep 1750-2500 0-1 0-3
23 Distributed land 1750-2500 0-1 0-3
24 Distributed land 1750-2500 0-1 0-3
25 Distributed land 1750-2500 0-1 21-37
26 Massive clay, deep 2500-3000 0-1 0-3
27 Massive clay, deep 1750-2500 0-1 3-10
28 Distributed land 2500-3000 0-1 0-3
29 Peat (Hemist/sapprist) 1750-2500 0-1 0-3
30 Firm, clay, poorly drain 2500-3000 0-1 0-3
31 Massive, clay, deep 1750-2500 0-1 0-3

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Figure 1: Agro-Land suitability Map South west Selangor

6. Conclusion
The study has made possible the potential application of integrated remote sensing and GIS technology for AEZ
and agro-land suitability assessment. This augers well for the eventual operationalisation of this integration for
agricultural planning and modeling in the spatial and temporal domains.

References

FAO. 1996. Agro-ecological zoning- guidelines. FAO SOIL BULLETIN

Mahmood. N. N. 1983, - The use of Satellite Remote Sensing Data for Agro-ecological Mapping of
Penisular Malaysia

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