Moustafa,, A., Faituri, M. (2004). INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS: A CASE STUDY OF JABAL AL-AKHDAR, NORTH EAST LIBYA. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 29(9), 5355-5373. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2004.243799
A. M. Moustafa,; M. Faituri. "INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS: A CASE STUDY OF JABAL AL-AKHDAR, NORTH EAST LIBYA". Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 29, 9, 2004, 5355-5373. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2004.243799
Moustafa,, A., Faituri, M. (2004). 'INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS: A CASE STUDY OF JABAL AL-AKHDAR, NORTH EAST LIBYA', Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 29(9), pp. 5355-5373. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2004.243799
Moustafa,, A., Faituri, M. INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS: A CASE STUDY OF JABAL AL-AKHDAR, NORTH EAST LIBYA. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 2004; 29(9): 5355-5373. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2004.243799
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS: A CASE STUDY OF JABAL AL-AKHDAR, NORTH EAST LIBYA
1Soil and Water Science Department - College of Agriculture- Alexandria University - Egypt
2SOli and Water Science Depanment -- College of Agriculture - Omar AI-Mukhtar University - Libya
Abstract
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.