📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
Cassava remains Nigeria's most widely consumed staple food crop, and expanding its production in underutilised agricultural land is a national policy priority. This study analyses land suitability for cassava production across Kogi State using FAO Land Evaluation Framework criteria integrated within a GIS environment. Thematic layers representing soil texture, drainage, pH, slope, rainfall, and temperature are derived from secondary data sources including the International Soil Reference and Information Centre database and CHIRPS precipitation records. Multi-criteria evaluation using weighted overlay analysis classifies land into four suitability categories. Results identify approximately 1.3 million hectares as highly suitable or moderately suitable for cassava cultivation, concentrated in the Kogi West and Kogi Central senatorial districts. Areas classified as marginally suitable require lime application and drainage improvement before achieving optimal productivity. The study provides the Kogi State Agricultural Development Programme with a spatial decision-support tool for targeting agricultural extension and input subsidy programmes. Keywords: land suitability, cassava, GIS, multi-criteria evaluation, Kogi State
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