Crop Cycles and Crop Land Classification in Nepal Using MODIS NDVI

Abstract

Nepal is an agrarian country located in the Southeast Asian region with unique climate and geographical features. There are three geographical regions in the country: (a) mountain, (b) hill, and (c) plain (termed as himal, pahad, and tarai in the Nepali language) with distinct cropping patterns. Limited land in the hill and mountain regions is farm-friendly due to their topography, climate, and soil quality. The tarai region, which is often called the “food granary” of the country, has been subject to widespread urban expansion since few decades. Since the updated crop-based land use classification information and crop cycle maps of the country are not available yet, invitatory of crop cycles in Nepal (ICCN), detailed monitoring of crop area (DMCA), and its mapping are very essential for the formulation of strategic agricultural plans which ensure food security. This is a simple and operative work for the development of cropping maps with cropland classification of the country using the time series Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) 250 m of 2016. Time series MODIS 250-m vegetation index (VI) data hold the effective results for large-area cropping mapping. All obtainable MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) images were grouped and analyzed in TerrSet software and Earth Trends Modeler (ETM) was used for the evaluation of crop profile. The accuracy assessment of crop-based land use classification maps was achieved using a random sampling method. The results demonstrate the substantial information of the crop cycle and crop-based land-cover change in the context of Nepal. Hence, this study is likely to remain as the important reference document for Nepalese scientists and planners for establishing innovative agricultural plans at regional and national levels.