productivity of land, the depth of the hardpans layer and its
presence, the problem of dissolving salts, and how to reduce
the problem by reclaiming the salt.
A Study of Soil Resources by ACSAD (2005)
In 2005, the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry
Lands (ACSAD) cooperated with the department of soil at
General Water Authority (GWA) of Libya and with Dr.
Khaled ben Mahmoud. One of the main goals of this cooperation was the derivation of soil and terrain Database
(SOTER) and soil classification maps of Libya at scale 1: 1 M
(ACSAD and GWA 2005) (will be discussed in Sect. 2.5).
Mapping of Natural Resources for Agricultural Use and
Planning Project (LIB00/004) Studies (2001–2010)
In 2001, the Project of Mapping Natural Resources in Libya
was launched, and through this project, a number of goals
have been accomplished (LIB00/004 2007). These goals
include:
• Digitization of all available soil maps resulted from previous studies.
• Establishment of Land Information Database (Land
Resource Information Management System in Libya
(LRIMS)).
• Derivation of Digital Land / Vegetation Cover Map of
Libya. The achievements of the Project of Mapping
Natural Resources will be discussed in Sect. 2.5.
2.4 Mapping the Soils of Libya (Available
Soil Pedological and other Interpretive
Soil Maps)
Extensive soil studies have been carried out in Libya for the
last five decades. Emphasis was given mainly to the northern
part of Libya, to the coastal zone, and to only some small,
scattered areas in the southern desert. The present soil survey
reports and maps differ in their contents, types of maps, scale
of mapping, classification systems used, methods of soil
analysis, criteria which the interpretation of data is based on,
etc. The main problem that lies behind these variations is not
how to convert the taxonomic units from one soil classification system to another, but how the results of the soil
properties can be compared. Therefore, a careful analysis
and evaluation of the data in these soil survey studies is
needed. Another major problem facing the use of available
data is that some of these soil survey reports do not include
soil classification maps; they contain only interpretive soil
and land maps (Ben Mahmoud et al. 1984; Ben Mahmoud
1995, 2001).
2.5 Research Projects and Achievements
As indicated above, a large number of soil studies have been
conducted in Libya since 1970 to identify and classify soil
resources of promising areas in the country for optimum
land-use and to specify scientific and economical ways for
utilizing soil and water resources in agriculture development
and research activities. Soil research in soil classification and
mapping has expanded since 1980. The focus in the early
stages was on land classification for agricultural use and
cartography. Later, in the 1990s, multiple land evaluation
occurred to assess the land potential for general land uses
such as suitability for crops and suitability for irrigation,
dryland farming system, rangeland, etc. The main achievements and outputs until 2019 are as follows.
2.5.1 Achievements in the Field of Soil
Suitability Mapping
2.5.1.1 Mapping of Soil Suitability
for Agricultural Crops Using Productivity
Index Rating
This Productivity Rating Index is a parametric system that
was adapted and developed for Libyan soils by Prof. Khaled
Ben Mahmoud in 1995. Khaled Ben Mahmoud applied the
parametric land evaluation system to land suitability classification for many agricultural crops in Libya (Ben Mahmou
1995). This Rating Index has identified 11 land attributes to
calculate soil suitability for agricultural crops (Eq. 2.1).
Productivity Rating Index (PRI) = A1*A2*A3*A4*
A5*A6*A7*A8*A9*A10*A11.
where A1 = soil texture, A2 = soil calcium carbonate,
A3 = soil depth, A4 = soil reaction, A5 = soil organic
matter, A6 = soil salinity, A7 = soil slope, A8 = soil erosion,
A9 = internal soil drainage, A10 = water table, A11 =
exchangeable sodium percentage. Land variables in this
system are given scores from 0 to 1, depending on the effect
of the parameter on agricultural production in Libya.
2.5.1.2 Mapping of Soil Suitability
for Agricultural Crops Using GIS
Techniques
The FAO framework for land suitability for agriculture
crops was first developed in the north-east of Libya (Nwer
2005). The model of land suitability was constructed
using Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities
and modeling functions to accommodate barley, wheat,
maize “corn” and sorghum in the north-east of Libya. Soil,
climate, erosion hazards, and slope were integrated in the
GIS environment as information layers and then overlaid
24
M. M. Elaalem et al.
presence, the problem of dissolving salts, and how to reduce
the problem by reclaiming the salt.
A Study of Soil Resources by ACSAD (2005)
In 2005, the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry
Lands (ACSAD) cooperated with the department of soil at
General Water Authority (GWA) of Libya and with Dr.
Khaled ben Mahmoud. One of the main goals of this cooperation was the derivation of soil and terrain Database
(SOTER) and soil classification maps of Libya at scale 1: 1 M
(ACSAD and GWA 2005) (will be discussed in Sect. 2.5).
Mapping of Natural Resources for Agricultural Use and
Planning Project (LIB00/004) Studies (2001–2010)
In 2001, the Project of Mapping Natural Resources in Libya
was launched, and through this project, a number of goals
have been accomplished (LIB00/004 2007). These goals
include:
• Digitization of all available soil maps resulted from previous studies.
• Establishment of Land Information Database (Land
Resource Information Management System in Libya
(LRIMS)).
• Derivation of Digital Land / Vegetation Cover Map of
Libya. The achievements of the Project of Mapping
Natural Resources will be discussed in Sect. 2.5.
2.4 Mapping the Soils of Libya (Available
Soil Pedological and other Interpretive
Soil Maps)
Extensive soil studies have been carried out in Libya for the
last five decades. Emphasis was given mainly to the northern
part of Libya, to the coastal zone, and to only some small,
scattered areas in the southern desert. The present soil survey
reports and maps differ in their contents, types of maps, scale
of mapping, classification systems used, methods of soil
analysis, criteria which the interpretation of data is based on,
etc. The main problem that lies behind these variations is not
how to convert the taxonomic units from one soil classification system to another, but how the results of the soil
properties can be compared. Therefore, a careful analysis
and evaluation of the data in these soil survey studies is
needed. Another major problem facing the use of available
data is that some of these soil survey reports do not include
soil classification maps; they contain only interpretive soil
and land maps (Ben Mahmoud et al. 1984; Ben Mahmoud
1995, 2001).
2.5 Research Projects and Achievements
As indicated above, a large number of soil studies have been
conducted in Libya since 1970 to identify and classify soil
resources of promising areas in the country for optimum
land-use and to specify scientific and economical ways for
utilizing soil and water resources in agriculture development
and research activities. Soil research in soil classification and
mapping has expanded since 1980. The focus in the early
stages was on land classification for agricultural use and
cartography. Later, in the 1990s, multiple land evaluation
occurred to assess the land potential for general land uses
such as suitability for crops and suitability for irrigation,
dryland farming system, rangeland, etc. The main achievements and outputs until 2019 are as follows.
2.5.1 Achievements in the Field of Soil
Suitability Mapping
2.5.1.1 Mapping of Soil Suitability
for Agricultural Crops Using Productivity
Index Rating
This Productivity Rating Index is a parametric system that
was adapted and developed for Libyan soils by Prof. Khaled
Ben Mahmoud in 1995. Khaled Ben Mahmoud applied the
parametric land evaluation system to land suitability classification for many agricultural crops in Libya (Ben Mahmou
1995). This Rating Index has identified 11 land attributes to
calculate soil suitability for agricultural crops (Eq. 2.1).
Productivity Rating Index (PRI) = A1*A2*A3*A4*
A5*A6*A7*A8*A9*A10*A11.
where A1 = soil texture, A2 = soil calcium carbonate,
A3 = soil depth, A4 = soil reaction, A5 = soil organic
matter, A6 = soil salinity, A7 = soil slope, A8 = soil erosion,
A9 = internal soil drainage, A10 = water table, A11 =
exchangeable sodium percentage. Land variables in this
system are given scores from 0 to 1, depending on the effect
of the parameter on agricultural production in Libya.
2.5.1.2 Mapping of Soil Suitability
for Agricultural Crops Using GIS
Techniques
The FAO framework for land suitability for agriculture
crops was first developed in the north-east of Libya (Nwer
2005). The model of land suitability was constructed
using Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities
and modeling functions to accommodate barley, wheat,
maize “corn” and sorghum in the north-east of Libya. Soil,
climate, erosion hazards, and slope were integrated in the
GIS environment as information layers and then overlaid
24
M. M. Elaalem et al.