Multicriteria evaluation and remote sensing approach to identifying degraded soil areas in northwest Peru

Soil is a vital nonrenewable resource characterized by rapid degradation and slow regeneration processes. In this study, soil degradation in Jaén and San Ignacio was assessed via a multicriteria evaluation approach combined with remote sensing (RS) data. Nine factors were analyzed classified three categories: environmental, topographic, and edaphological factors. The results revealed that the slope (59.07%) was the main influencing factor, followed by land use and land cover (LULC) (56.36%). The degradation map revealed that 83.48% of the area exhibited moderate degradation, 14.49% low degradation, and 1.56% high degradation. The districts of Pomahuaca and San José de Lourdes demonstrated the largest areas of moderate degradation, accounting for 13.71% and 22.54%, respectively. Bellavista and Huarango exhibited the largest areas of very high degradation, accounting for 0.27% and 0.08%, respectively. The (AHP) method and RS data were employed to assess soil degradation, highlighting the need for sustainable soil restoration and conservation strategies.