Ecoterritorial sectorization for the sustainable agricultural production of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Carabobo, Venezuela

In Venezuela, a total of 5.4% of the territory under agricultural use is dedicated to the production of roots and tubers corresponding to 93,677 ha, of which an important potato production center is concentrated in the state of Carabobo; however, there are currently land use conflicts. This research aimed to define suitable areas for potato cropping (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the agricultural regions of the Carabobo state as an essential task for its sustainable development. The agroecological zoning methodology of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was applied, based initially on the analysis of climatic factors, and then, on the analysis of soil characteristics to obtain the physical characterization of different areas. Subsequently, the environmental demands of the crop were confronted attaining the sectorization of greater or lesser adaptability areas. The largest area corresponds to agricultural suitability zones that occupy 337.0 km(2), showing the Libertador and Valencia municipalities the highest proportion of these. This study is a tool to achieve a greater land use in economic, ecological and social sustainability terms.