Zimbabwe-Revised-Agroecological-Zones

Newly revised Agroecological Zones for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Revised Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZs) Report

Overview

This repository contains the report on the revised Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZs) of Zimbabwe. The report details the updated zoning classifications based on climate variability, land use changes, and improved mapping techniques. The document is available in multiple formats, including HTML, PDF, and Word.

Contents

• Report Files:
  • Zim-AEZs.html (HTML version)
  • Zim-AEZs.pdf (PDF version with table of contents, figure captions, and numbered sections)
  • Zim-AEZs.docx (Word document with table of contents)
• Code Files:
  • generate_AEZ_map.R (R script to generate the AEZ map)
• Shapefile Data:
  • Zim_regions.shp (Shapefile containing AEZ boundaries)
  • Supporting spatial data files required for GIS processing

Key Highlights of the Report

• Introduction: Importance of AEZs in guiding agricultural practices, natural resource management, and policy planning.
• Revised AEZs: Updated classification into six primary zones: Region I, IIa, IIb, III, IV, Va, and Vb.
• Key Changes:
  • Increased detail with subdivision of Region V into Va and Vb.
  • Emphasis on climate adaptation strategies.
  • Use of modern GIS-based mapping techniques.
• Implications: How the updated AEZs contribute to climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land use, and improved food security.
• Conclusion: The importance of ongoing research and monitoring to enhance AEZ effectiveness.
• References: Supporting research and official publications.

Generating the AEZ Map

The generate_AEZ_map.R script processes the shapefile and visualizes the revised AEZs using R packages such as sf and ggplot2.

Requirements

• R (latest version recommended)
• R packages:
  • sf
  • ggplot2

Running the Script

Ensure the Zim_regions.shp file is available in the specified directory, then execute the script in R:

source("generate_AEZ_map.R")

This will generate a high-resolution map and save it as Revised_AEZs.pdf.