Author(s)

Guy Fernand Yao¹, Derving Baka², Nestor Kouman Yao Kouakou², Bala Mamadou Ouattara³, Kouadio Amani¹, Jean Lopez Essehi¹, Brou Kouame¹, Albert Yao-Kouame⁴

¹Sustainable Soil Management and Water Control Program, Central Laboratory, Soils, Water and Plants (LCSEP), National Agricultural Research Center (CNRA), Bouaké, Ivory Coast.
²Department of Soil Sciences, Training and Research Unit for Earth Sciences and Mining Resources (UFR STRM), University Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Cocody-Abidjan, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
³Department of Geography, Training and Research Unit (UFR) Communication, Environment and Society, University Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké, Ivory Coast.
⁴Soil, Water and Geomaterials Sciences Laboratory (LS2EG), Earth Sciences and Mining Resources Training and Research Unit (UFR STRM), Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

As part of the drive to improve coffee and cocoa production in Ivory Coast, studies are carried out to identify soils that are favourable for these crops. It is therefore necessary to orientate soil investigations based on reliable criteria that best discriminate soil cover. With this in mind, this study is being carried out to help improve survey methods by mapping soil landscapes. It uses GIS and weighted multicriteria analysis. To do this, satellite images were processed and the geological map of the square degrees of M’Bahiakro and Daloa was reclassified. The results show that relief is the main factor in soil landscape differentiation, with respective weights of 0.58 and 0.67 for the forest and pre-forest zones. In contrast, the weight of geological formation in soil landscape differentiation remains low (0.05 for the forest zone and 0.07 for the pre-forest zone). The criteria used on the base of aggregation sum methods have made it possible to formulate soil landscape mapping prediction functions according to agro-ecological environments in the humid intertropical zone. This is essential for the orientation of soil survey work. Nevertheless, other comparative methods, such as the coding mapping method, could provide elements for discussion to validate the models.

GIS, Multi-Criteria Analysis, Soil Landscapes, M’Bahiakro, Daloa, Ivory Coast

Yao, G. , Baka, D. , Kouakou, N. , Ouattara, B. , Amani, K. , Essehi, J. , Kouame, B. and Yao-Kouame, A. (2024) Contribution of GIS to Soil Landscape Mapping by Multi-Criteria Analysis Using Weighting: The Case of the Square Degrees of M’Bahiakro (Centre) and Daloa (Centre-West) in Ivory Coast. Open Journal of Geology, 14, 101-116. doi: 10.4236/ojg.2024.141006.