Contribution of Hierarchical Multi-Criteria Analysis (AHP) to the Evaluation and Spatialization of Soil Erodibility in Humid Mountainous Areas: Case of Bafou-North, Cameroon Western Highlands

Authors : Joseph Zetekouang GUEPI VOUNANG, Emile TEMGOUA, Bienvenu Achille IBRAHIM, Primus Azinwi TAMFUH, Bertrand KENZONG, Evariste Désiré MOUNDJEU, Lavoisier SONWA, Ghislain NKOLO, Franck Nguema NGUEMA, Ludovic Armand WOUATONG, Dieudonné Lucien BITOM

Pages : 271-281

View : 94 | Download : 15

Publication Date : 2023-08-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The agricultural basin of Bafou-North is part of the mountainous domain in Cameroon western highlands, with a humid tropical climate, subjected to intensive exploitation of the soil since the 1980s. This exploitation is followed by a reduction of the vegetation cover and the increased risk of erosion of these soils. In order to assess the extent of this risk, this study proposes to characterize and map the susceptibility of Bafou-North soils to erosion by the multi-criteria weight method under GIS of all the erodibility factors considered in this study. Among other parameters considered, it emerges that the topography through its slope component primarily influences insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(66.7%); the risk of soil erosion in Bafou-North, followed by pasture insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(55.87%); and tillage insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(27.93%);. The spatialization of the erodibility factor insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(K); of Bafou-North soils, which translates the susceptibility to erosion, reveals that nearly 79.89% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(6963.37 ha); of the surface area is subject to a risk ranging from moderately high to very high [0.25˂ K≥0.71 t.h/insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ha.N);] against 20.11% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1752,88 ha); for fairly resistant soils [0.17˂K≥0.25 t.h/insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ha.N);]. This observation therefore challenges all farmers and authorities to further integrate soil conservation methods into their policies for the sustainable management of agricultural land.
Keywords : Erodibility, Hierarchical multi criteria analysis, GIS, Bafou North, West Cameroon

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