AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS: CASE STUDY IN SOUTH EL-HUSSINIA, NORTH-EAST OF EGYPT

This work aims to evaluate Sustainable Land-use Management (SLM) through bio-physics elements (productivity, security and protection) and socio-economic elements (economic viability and social acceptability). The investigated area, 27000 hectares, lies between 31(O)15 '' and 32(O)00 '' E and latitudes 31(O)30 '' and 30(O)00 '' N. To assess SLM, geomorphology and associated soils were identified, the land degradation processes were recognized, then a Sustainable Land use Management Spatial Model (SLMSM) was built and used to assess the sustainable land use management in the study area. The area included three landscapes; fluvio-lacustrine plain, marine plain and flood plain. Four SLM classes were outlined; the relatively high decantation basins representing 62.4% of the agricultural area, the relatively low decantation basins (Class II) occupying 22.5% of the agricultural area, overflow basins (Class III) covering 9.5% of the agricultural area, and Class IV that found in clay flats, sandy remnants, overflow mantle and river terraces occupying 5.6% of the agricultural area.