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The Spatial Patterns and Root Causes of Land Use Change in East Africa. Olson LUCID WP47 PART1
Abstract
The overriding finding of the LUCID land use changes analyses is how rapidly farming and agro-pastoral systems have changed. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists have changed their entire system several times since the 1950’s. New land uses have been developed, and existing land uses have been transformed. In sum, the most significant land use changes have been:
1) an expansion of cropping into grazing areas, particularly in the semi-arid to sub-humid areas,
2) an expansion of rainfed and irrigated agriculture in wetlands or along streams especially in semi-arid areas,
3) a reduction in size of many woodlands and forests on land that is not protected,
4) an intensification of land use in areas already under crops in the more humid areas, and
5) the maintenance of natural vegetation in most protected areas.
These changes have allowed many more people to live on the land as farmers and agro-pastoralists, and the systems have shown flexibility and adaptability in face of changing international and national economic and political structures. Diversification, towards a mixture of crops and livestock, cash and food crops, and farm and non-farm income, has been a critical means for households to reduce their risk in face of these changes. Despite the rapid evolution of systems responding to these forces, rural poverty is common and key environmental resources are becoming increasingly scarce, contested and/ or degraded. The LUCID team found that poverty, poor land management and land degradation are much more common and persistent in marginal environments, especially, the remote, semi-arid zones. Even in the most productive, highly managed zones, however, the variation between households in levels of soil management and productivity is important. In the more marginal, semi-arid zones, herding systems have experienced multiple chronic pressures to alter land use. The situation is thus critical in semi-arid areas—where the marginality and vulnerability of the human and environmental systems overlap and are currently in the processes of worsening.
Supplementary resources (2)
... Political and policy decisions and socioeconomic changes in the past were identified as the leading underlying causes of LULC changes (Olson et al., 2004) in Sanga. These drivers influenced LULC to change differently in protected and unprotected areas of the Sanga-Lake Mburo ecosystem due to different land practices in both areas. ...
... Studies by WoldeYohannes et al. (2018) in Ethiopia report that migrations increase settlements and crop cultivation. In the study area, the refugees who settled near the park from Luwero indiscriminately cleared trees to create land for farming to support themselves after losing their livestock through wars (Mugisha, 2002;Namara, 1996;Olson et al., 2004). In addition to immigration and population increase, land tenure security and land restructuring policy can be attributed to tremendous growth in farmlands and built-up areas (Byaruhanga and Kigoolo, 2005;Hulme and Infield, 1998;UWA, 2015) since the pastoralists adopt settled life. ...
... In addition to immigration and population increase, land tenure security and land restructuring policy can be attributed to tremendous growth in farmlands and built-up areas (Byaruhanga and Kigoolo, 2005;Hulme and Infield, 1998;UWA, 2015) since the pastoralists adopt settled life. The government's promotion for commercialized and modernized agriculture, further privatization of the land, and sedentarization (Tukahirwa, 2002;Mugisha, 2002;Olson et al., 2004;Byenkya, 2004;Wurzinger et al., 2009) also causes increased settlements and farmlands. Intensified modernized agriculture, for example, rearing of exotic breeds, also requires clearing vegetation to provide grazing land for exotic breeds (Ochieng et al., 2020), causing a reduction in woodland cover outside the park. ...
Socioeconomic, political, and policy decisions by the government may influence the socioecological changes of the land use and land
cover pattern for rangeland people over time. This paper examines the historical political, policy, and socioeconomic decisions that
influenced land use and land cover changes in the former pastoral community in Sanga-Lake Mburo Rangeland Ecosystem in South
Western Uganda. Data on historical events were documented from literature and supplemented by an opportunistic discussion with
Sanga residents. Data on land use and cover change detection between 1987 and 2020 were provided by Landsat 5 TM and Landsat
8 OLI/TIRS images and from field observations. Images were processed using QGIS version 3.20.1 employing a semi-automatic
classification plugin. Political decisions and government policies related to land tenure and reforms, socioeconomics, and
demographic changes were noted as underlying drivers of land use and cover changes. The overall accuracies for classified maps of
1987 and 2020 were 80.36% and 89.81%, respectively. Notably, woodland cover in the protected area increased by 170.53% between
1987 and 2020, while built-up areas and farmland increased 1348.15% and 405.03%, respectively. In the same period, wetland cover
in protected and unprotected decreased immensely by 46.06%. Bareland in the park decreased by 23%, while outside the park, it
increased by 25.07%. This study concludes that land use and land cover change resulted from sociocultural changes, political and
policy decisions on ranches, park management, and land tenure restructuring.
Keywords: Park, Political, Policy, Pastoralists, Vegetation, Sedentarization
... However, as land use further intensifies, species diversity decrease as habitats start to simplify into large blocks of cropland without intermittent patches of native vegetation. Olson, (2004) affirmed that human agricultural practices increase conflicts between herders, cultivators and conservationists. Increasing livestock-crop conflict is a major problem in most areas especially around national parks and gazetted forests where there is rapid encroachment by cultivators (Olson, 2004). ...
... Olson, (2004) affirmed that human agricultural practices increase conflicts between herders, cultivators and conservationists. Increasing livestock-crop conflict is a major problem in most areas especially around national parks and gazetted forests where there is rapid encroachment by cultivators (Olson, 2004). In particular, due to fewer watering points and dry season pasture points (Campbell, 2004), there are frequent cases of livestock trampling and grazing on crops. ...
The study explains how human activities around national parks in Uganda affect wildlife habitats protection. This study presents findings from communities around Lake Mburo National Park in Kiruhuura district, western Uganda.
... Urbanization trends are evident in the shift of 10,181.69 hectares of rangeland to built-up areas, driven by population growth and infrastructural development (Olson et al., 2004). While urban expansion can boost local economies, it leads to habitat fragmentation, wildlife displacement, and increased human-wildlife con icts (Homewood et al., 2009). ...
Land cover change, particularly in landscapes inhabited by pastoralist communities like the Maasai, is a growing concern due to its environmental and socio-economic implications. The Maasai regions in Tanzania have experienced significant land cover shifts in recent years, which can affect biodiversity, ecosystem services, and traditional livelihoods. Despite the importance of these landscapes, there is limited understanding of how specific land cover types, such as rangelands, croplands, and tree cover, have changed over time, and what the drivers behind these changes are. To address this gap, this study examines the extent and nature of land cover changes in Maasai landscapes between 2017 and 2023. The study specifically focuses on the conversion of rangelands to other land uses, such as tree cover, croplands, and built areas, as well as the shifts from trees to cropland and built areas. By analyzing these trends, the study aims to provide insights into the factors driving land cover change and their implications for land management in the region. The findings reveal substantial transitions, including the conversion of 451,514 hectares of rangeland to tree cover, 152,064 hectares to cropland, and 10,181 hectares to built areas. These results highlight the urgent need for strategies that support sustainable land use while considering the ecological and socio-economic importance of Maasai landscapes.
... Therefore, the main causes for resource losses in the study area sites are population growth, illegal cutting of forests for energy especially charcoal and firewood, and weak environmental laws and policies. This is comparable to the findings made by Olson et al. (2004) in Uganda. ...
The concerns over landuse and landcover (LULC) change have emerged on the global stage due to realization that changes occurring on the land surface also influence climate, ecosystem, and its services. This study aimed to map the temporal dynamic of LULC patterns and LST in the Jarmet wetland in Ethiopia. The dynamics and pattern of changes for a period of 21 years (2000−2021) were analyzed using geospatial techniques. Multi-temporal satellite Images from Landsat ETM+ and Landsat 8 OLI sensor data were used to extract land-cover maps. The Land surface temperature (LST) trend of the study areas was computed using MODIS satellite imagery (2000‒2021). Supervised classification using a Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) was applied to prepare LULC maps of the watershed. The accuracy of the classified map was assessed using high-resolution data, and ground realities have been verified and ascertained through field observations. The results revealed a decreased trend in wetland, forest, shrubland, and grassland in the period of 21 years (2000−2021) by −1,148.71ha, −1,073.26 ha, −1,480.1 ha, and −87.73 ha, respectively. On the other hand, farmland and plantation areas followed an increasing trend. LST revealed decreasing trend in terms of mean and minimum with a fraction change of −0.018 and −0.073, whereas the maximum LST value shows an increasing trend with 0.021. The classification of overall accuracy was 84.41%, with Kappa index of 76.13%, respectively. The analysis and findings of the study highlight important policy implications for sustainable LULC management in the study area. The study suggests the design and implementation of a guided natural resource policy, stopping the illegal expansion of farmland and educating society about the value of the sustainable management of habitat reserves.
... and prices of tree products created opportunities for tree producers to increase the rate of production. This is because farmers' decisions on land uses depend on market demand of a particular product at a given time (Olson et al., 2004). The theory also served as a descriptive tool for alternative causal factors that might have influenced Uporoto Highlands' farmers to opt for the conversion of their cropland into woodlots. ...
Recently, the Mbeya Rural district has experienced land fragmentation and scarcity due to population increase. However, it is paradoxical to see that farmers have been converting productive croplands into woodlots instead of practicing agricultural intensification on their already scarce croplands. This paper contributes to the understanding of changes that are experienced by farmers in Uporoto Highlands by analysing factors that influence them to convert productive croplands into woodlots. The selection of the research area was based on the rate of conversion of croplands into woodlots, and easy accessibility from main roads. A simple random sampling technique was used in selecting 366 farmers for household interviews, while purposive sampling was used to select the research area, key informants, and participant of focus group discussions (FGDs). Field observation and documentary review were also used to complement the collection of data. The paper employed a mixed method approach to capture both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the IBM SPSS Statistics software, version 21, to allow the generation of descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation functions, and multinomial regression analysis results. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The results suggest that the conversion of productive croplands into woodlots is influenced by market conditions, social/peer influence, institutional factors, nature and characteristics of trees, holding land for future use, farmers’ characteristics and urban to peri-urban expansion. The study recommends that agricultural institutions in the country should create enabling conditions that help farmers convert their productive croplands in a manner that does not threaten food security.
... For instance, forests are cleared and converted to farmland (and later gives way to settlement activities that lead to soil compaction and increased impervious surface which in turn reduces infiltration rate and increases the amount of surface runoff that provokes accelerated soil erosion (Olatunji, 2007;Rahaman, 2012;Adediji et al., 2013;Matano et al., 2015). Mugisha (2002), Misana et al., (2008) and Olson, et al., (2004), to mention but a few, agree that most of the changes observed in land use/cover in many parts of African countries are mainly associated with urban expansion and intensification of agricultural activities to new areas. ...
This study evaluates land use change within the upper catchment area of Ala river, Akure, Ondo State over a period of 31 years (1986-2017) using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) 5 of 1986, Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) 7 of 2002, and Landsat 8 OLI / TIRS of 2017. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), surface runoff and terrain configuration within the study area were analysed using ArcGIS 10.5 software. Three land use types were identified namely; built up, vegetation and bareland/outcrop. The built up covered 29.39 % in 1986 and increased to 43.64% in 2017. Vegetation revealed a reverse trend with a continuous decline from 49.21% in 1986 to 14.16% in 2017 while bareland/outcrop increased from 19.60% in 1986 to 42.20% in 2017. The NDVI values range between -0.03 and 0.4; -0.3 and 0.3; and 0.04 and 0.3 in 1986, 2002, 2017, respectively as an indicator of vegetation degradation. The analysis showed that the study area has been considerably degraded, mainly due to the depletion of vegetation and uncontrolled urbanization process. It is therefore recommended that the government through its physical planning agency, put in place effective control mechanism to guide physical development that will enhance sustainable development in the study area and other parts of the town.
... For instance, forests are cleared and converted to farmland (and later gives way to settlement activities that lead to soil compaction and increased impervious surface which in turn reduces infiltration rate and increases the amount of surface runoff that provokes accelerated soil erosion (Olatunji, 2007;Rahaman, 2012;Adediji et al., 2013;Matano et al., 2015). Mugisha (2002), Misana et al., (2008) and Olson, et al., (2004), to mention but a few, agree that most of the changes observed in land use/cover in many parts of African countries are mainly associated with urban expansion and intensification of agricultural activities to new areas. ...
... Shiferaw et al., 2014). Government strategies and interventions to decrease degradation through conservation of native vegetation or introduction of new species and technologies have resulted in increased natural vegetation, including native grasslands and new shrubs and grasses (Niedertscheider et al., 2012) while in others it has led to loss of indigenous vegetation and grazing areas (Fuchs et al., 2015;Meinzen-Dick & Mwangi, 2009;Olson et al., 2008). Other reported LULCC drivers and consequences are the need to buffer against the risks such as droughts and livestock diseases leading to livelihood diversification (Dong et al., 2011;Lind et al., 2016;Pender et al., 2009) and the desire to access social amenities leading to adoption of partial or permanent settlements (Lambin et al., 2003). ...
Land use and Land Cover Changes (LULCC) are a major cause of environmental degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) drylands and hence a serious problem to sustainable utilization and development of those lands. Involving communities in their detection and identification can empower and convince them of the importance of adopting practices that minimize their undesirable impacts. In this study, we applied a GIS assisted community participatory approach to detect LULCC, their drivers and effects in the drylands of mid rift valley Kenya. Focus group discussions, key informant and household head interviews were corroborated with three Landsat images for three periods of 1980, 1995 and 2019. Results from community interviews and focus group discussion reported increasing trends in cropland and shrubland, Declining trend were reported in livestock mobility, livestock herd size, forest land and natural grasses. The GIS analysis reported increase of cropland from 370 Ha to 2889 Ha, increase in shrubland by 4.2%, expansion of Lake Baringo by 1.4%, decrease in forest cover by 1.2% and decrease in natural grass pastures by 1.1%. Major driving forces for LULCC were identified as population growth, insecurity caused by cattle rustling, government policies and interventions, poor agricultural practices, drought and climate change. From the outcomes of this study, we recommended government policy strategies and interventions that support adoption of practices that mitigate adverse effects of LULCC including sustainable grazing schemes, rehabilitation of already degraded land, community participation in watershed management and adoption of soil and water conservation measures.
... In the past few decades, conversion of grassland, woodland, and forest into cropland and pasture has risen dramatically, especially in developing countries where a large proportion of human population depends on natural resources for their livelihoods [7] . The increasing demand for land and related resources often results in changes in land use/cover [6] and it has local, national, regional, and global causes [8] . Land use/cover dynamics are widespread, accelerating, and significant process driven by human actions [9], but also producing changes that impact humans [10]. ...
This document provides guidance regarding significant issues emergent from the current climate change, population, agricultural, and land use and cover change literatures.
Human influence is now so pervasive that every ecosystem on Earth is being managed, whether intentionally or inadvertently.
It is therefore imperative for scientists and managers to work together so that appropriate management regimes can be put
in place wherever possible. However, it is not always clear what is appropriate, and the difficulties that often arise when
scientists and managers work together can be even further compounded by the inclusion of lay stakeholders in the decision-making
process. The expansion of interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs would help both scientists and managers to
deal more effectively with sociological issues and to understand how economic and demographic changes impact on natural resources.
In addition, continuing education programs in these areas should be made available to established professionals to help them
deal with new challenges. The concept of ecosystem services should be used to communicate the importance of various ecosystem
components and processes to a broader audience. Consensus on a management regime can often be achieved through adaptive management.
The process by which interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to new insights and research initiatives is exemplified by a
resource management study on the island of Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia. As a paradigm of natural resource management,
microcosms like this small island community offer a unique opportunity for training and education.
This paper critically reviews the three main approaches to land degradation and conservation - the classic, populist and neo-liberal. The implications of these paradigm shifts are examined in terms of research needs. Next, the paper discusses the role of science and technology, and the origins and substance of differences in the perception, evaluation and diagnosis of degradation. Focus is then shifted to analyzing how farmers and pastoralists make decisions about resource use and management, and a research approach is suggested for analyzing decision-making. Two case studies illustrate the approach - Nepal and Zimbabwe. -from Authors