A GIS-BASED SUSTAINABILITY AND HIGHEST-BEST USE (SHBU) FOR FELDA LANDS DEVELOPMENT PLANNING DECISION-MAKING

Abstract

FELDA is enforcing a new direction of sustainable FELDA development in the future. It has timely developed a Sustainability and Highest and Best-use (SHBU) framework based on a GIS-based Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach for optimising FELDA lands, particularly crops, and other possible developments. This paper attempts to demonstrate the application of the GIS-based SHBU for FELDA Bukit Rokan discovering its capabilities. It includes generating criterion maps and sub-criterion maps, weighting criterion maps, and creating outcomes – composite maps of cropland suitability and future-physical development. The geospatial analyses for a Bukit Rokan confirmed that the SHBU model could provide the needed information for crop and settlement area developments. The production of the composite crop and physical land development maps significantly helps FELDA management or crop plantation planners optimise lands for crop plantation and future physical development. Hence, its application provides valuable information about the areas and support attributes enhancing FELDA lands development planning decision-making.