Classificação do potencial agrícola do município de Felício dos Santos-MG

Abstract

The use of geotechnologies for the analysis and modeling of agroecosystems stands out as a valuable strategy to support managers and professionals in agricultural sciences in planning and promoting sustainable rural development at the municipal level. This study aimed to assess the agricultural potential of the municipality of Felício dos Santos, located in the Alto Jequitinhonha region, through geoprocessing techniques combined with soil survey and interpretation. Initially, freely accessible databases were compiled, selecting and acquiring suitable vector and raster files for the research. Using geoprocessing tools, detailed thematic maps were produced. The agricultural potential map for the municipality was developed by integrating data on soil classes, relief, soil erodibility, hypsometry, vegetation, and land use and cover, employing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weighted Linear Combination techniques. The application of this methodology and the preexisting modeling formula enabled the creation of an initial cartographic approximation, revealing that approximately 67.0% of the municipal territory comprises areas with high and medium agricultural potential, while the remaining regions are more suitable for sustainable extractivism, environmental conservation, and recreational uses. Finally, the results demonstrate the appropriateness of the adopted approach, given its consistency with field observations and the existing conservation unit boundaries, while also indicating the feasibility of expanding or establishing a Municipal Environmental Protection Area (APA) of at least 50 km², thereby contributing to increased local revenue through the ICMS Ecológico program.