http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8925-7918
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Abstract
In the 21st century, geographic information systems (GIS) have become one of the leading technologies in different sectors for development and planning, particularly in modern agricultural management. Moreover, recent advances in GIS tools and methods have helped decision-makers as well as farmers to find optimal sites for production of different crops. The cultivation of vineyards and grapes is one of the most important agricultural activities in the Al-Sweidaa governorate—Syria, which has been suffering from a decrease in annual productivity in conjunction with an increase in the annual demand for grapes and wine products, particularly in recent decades. Therefore, the aim of this research was to establish a new method for analyzing the optimum regions for economic viticulture production in the Western Slopes of Jabal Al Arab in the Al-Sweidaa governorate by using multi-criteria evaluation (MCE). To this end, a field survey was conducted and a soil sample was collected for physical and chemically analysis, and a 1984–2014 MRm.30-meter resolution dataset of climatic variables for the Al-Sweidaa governorate was set up as well. The results show that suitable areas are concentrated in the higher part of the study area (the eastern part) where climate and soil are favourable, and did not show any relevant limitations. Conversely, the lower part of the study area (the western) has unfavourable climate and soil chemical and physical fertility; therefore grape production is only possible if irrigation is applied and the fertility properties of the soil are improved, particularly the percentage of organic matter and the soil texture.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).