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THE USE OF REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES FOR LAND CAPABILITY 
MAPPING IN KERIO VALLEY, KENYA 
B.D.O. Odhiambo 
and 
J.C. Rivereau 
KENYA RANGELAND ECOLOGICAL MONITORING UNIT 
(K.R.E.M.U.) 
Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources 
NAIROBI 
ABSTRACT 
The KREMU has carried out country wide surveys using LANDSAT imageries 
and high level aerial photographs in land use mapping and in forest cover 
inventory. Presently, the KREMU is involved in detailed studies such as 
land use mapping at 1:250 000 scale and land capability mapping at 1:125 O00 
scale in Kerio valley which is situated within the Great Rift Valley in 
central Kenya. The 6400 km? study area falls within the jurisdiction of 
the Kerio Valley Development Authority. 
A multidisciplinary approach was adopted for the compilation of the 
land capability map; this involved photographic interpretation of panchro- 
matic vertical photographs and satellite imagery, followed by a cartographic 
representation. The data presented include morphology and slope map, habitat 
map (illustrating vegetation communities 'per se') both at 1:50 OO0 scale 
and land use map at 1:250 000 scale derived from interpretation of LANDSAT 
images. Use was also made of existing information contained in the geological 
map and from the soil map of Kenya as well as climatic and hydrologic data, 
to arrive at the various land suitability classes presented, at a final 
publishing scale of 1:125 O00. An extensive legend describing the various 
potentialities of the land is presented and will be used as a guide for on- 
coming development programmes. 
INTRODUCTION 
Land capability mapping is an important parameter for planning and 
development projects in rural areas. The maps give the necessary information 
regarding the suitability of the land and therefore contribute to optimization 
of the current and future land use patterns. 
Morphology, geology, soil characteristics, habitat (vegetation), current 
land use and climatology are the basic data required for compiling land capa- 
bility maps. Most of these data can be gathered, at least partly, through 
aerial photography and satellite image analysis. 
KREMU has undertaken a land capability mapping of a test site located 
in the Kerio Valley to assess the potential application of remote sensing 
technology in implementing such surveys. 
LOCATION AND PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE STUDY AREA 
Kerio Valley is an arm of the Great Rift Valley in Central Kenya, bound 
geographically by the 35° 30'E and 359 50'E longitudes and O° and 19 30'N 
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