INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS: A CASE STUDY OF JABAL AL-AKHDAR, NORTH EAST LIBYA

A growing number of studies have focused on the importance and
usefulness of indigenous soil taxonomies as they relate to agricultural production.
Drawing upon a dissertation on indigenous soil taxonomies, this artide describes the
farmers indigenous soil classification system at Jabal Al-Akhdar of northeast Libya.
The study was carried out in two sites; the first is located at Shahat area (about 20
km. east AI-Beida city) dominated by Hassa tribe, while the second ;s located at Qassr
EI-Mekdem area (about 40 km. West AI-Beida city) and dominated by Hassana tribe.
A total of 50 male household heads were interviewed and data were collected using
parflclpatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques and community-based transect-
mapping. Six soil profiles were selected to characterize different kinds of soils
presented in study sites based on farmer's indigenous soil knowledge. Different soil
types identified by local farmers are based on soil characterlsucs SUCh as color, depth,
stoniness and geographical location. Farmers from both villages identified 4 main
types of soils in the first level of classification based on soil color. The farmers
observed 10 types of sells based on color and depth in the second level of
classification. Finally. based on color. depth and stoniness, a total of 30 types of soil
at the third level of classification were observed by farmers.