We are excited to announce a new update for PyAEZv2.2, an open-source Python library for working with the Agro-Ecological Zonation (AEZ) methodology. This update includes several logic and input data enhancements and bug fixes to improve the functionality and user experience of the library.
The improvement of the overall accuracy and reliability of the AEZ methodology is covered in the new version in Modules 2, and 3, and input data usage is modified in Modules 4 & 5. The key updates are listed as follows:
**Module 2:**
- New parameters added in reading crop/crop cycle parameters from Excel sheet (minimum and maximum cycle lengths, plant height)
- Revised algorithm flow for overall perennial/annual crop simulations.
- New logic: kc factor adjustment based on local climate (Crop Water Requirement)
- Revised logic: Daily value interpolations of Ac, Bc, Bo, and Pm based on GAEZ (Biomass Calculation)
**Module 3:**
- Look-up tables of agro-climatic constraints can be provided as Excel sheets.
- Validated calculation procedures of fc3 map.
**Module 4:**
- Soil Requirement Suitability factors can now be prepared and provided as Excel sheets.
- New routine: 7-soil layer inputs of soil characteristics to evaluate soil suitability (based on HWSD v2.0) (Experimental).
- New output: soil suitability rating map (fc4).
**Module 5**
- Terrain constraint factors can now be prepared and provided as Excel sheets.
- New output: terrain suitability map (fc5).
User-guide and tutorial Jupyter notebooks are updated for the new version.
We would like to express our gratitude to the PyAEZ community for their valuable feedback and contributions. Your input has been instrumental in shaping this update and making PyAEZ more robust and user-friendly.
To get started with the latest version of PyAEZ, please visit our GitHub repository: https://github.com/gicait/PyAEZ. Detailed installation instructions and documentation can be found in the repository's README file.
If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for further improvements, please don't hesitate to open an issue on our GitHub repository. We appreciate your continued support and involvement in the PyAEZ project.
Thank you for choosing PyAEZ, and we hope this update enhances your experience and enables you to gain deeper insights into the Agro-Ecological Zonation methodology.
Best regards
PyAEZ Team
Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations