Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe

This study analyses land use and land cover changes that occurred in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district in Zimbabwe between 1989 and 2012. It analysed the current arrangement of land use and land cover and the changes in land use and land cover over the 23 years along with the extent...

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Main Authors: Muringaniza, Kudakwashe C. R., Jerie, Steven
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11408/5022
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author Muringaniza, Kudakwashe C. R.
Jerie, Steven
author_facet Muringaniza, Kudakwashe C. R.
Jerie, Steven
author_sort Muringaniza, Kudakwashe C. R.
collection DSpace
description This study analyses land use and land cover changes that occurred in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district in Zimbabwe between 1989 and 2012. It analysed the current arrangement of land use and land cover and the changes in land use and land cover over the 23 years along with the extent of changes that have occurred as well as the causes and impacts of the changes detected. Land use and land cover changes were determined from maximum likelihood supervised classification and interpretation of 1989, 1999, 2007 and 2012 Landsat TM satellite imagery while the drivers and impacts were noted using observations and secondary data. The results showed that cultivated land had expanded at the expense of bushland. Cultivated fields and bush land areas generally concentrated in the same locality and this was assumed to be a result of the arid conditions within the district. These changes in land use pattern and spread were mainly attributed to encroachment and expansion of agriculture; bush land clearance for firewood collection and construction, population increase due to resettlement and to a lesser extent the general arid conditions associated with climate change. The study recommends that further studies be undertaken to establish the consequences of sugarcane production on natural carbon sequestration processes such that further bushland losses will not pose detrimental environmental effects.
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spelling ir-11408-50222022-07-28T14:14:49Z Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe Muringaniza, Kudakwashe C. R. Jerie, Steven Land-use Land-cover Changes Commercial farming Chiredzi This study analyses land use and land cover changes that occurred in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district in Zimbabwe between 1989 and 2012. It analysed the current arrangement of land use and land cover and the changes in land use and land cover over the 23 years along with the extent of changes that have occurred as well as the causes and impacts of the changes detected. Land use and land cover changes were determined from maximum likelihood supervised classification and interpretation of 1989, 1999, 2007 and 2012 Landsat TM satellite imagery while the drivers and impacts were noted using observations and secondary data. The results showed that cultivated land had expanded at the expense of bushland. Cultivated fields and bush land areas generally concentrated in the same locality and this was assumed to be a result of the arid conditions within the district. These changes in land use pattern and spread were mainly attributed to encroachment and expansion of agriculture; bush land clearance for firewood collection and construction, population increase due to resettlement and to a lesser extent the general arid conditions associated with climate change. The study recommends that further studies be undertaken to establish the consequences of sugarcane production on natural carbon sequestration processes such that further bushland losses will not pose detrimental environmental effects. 2022-07-28T14:14:49Z 2022-07-28T14:14:49Z 2016 Article Muringaniza, K.C.R., & Jerie, S. (2016). Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the Commercial Farming Region of Chiredzi District, Zimbabwe. Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review 32(1), 119-142. doi:10.1353/eas.2016.0002. 1684-4173 1027-1775 10.1353/eas.2016.0002 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/5022 en Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review;Vol. 32 No. 1; Pages 119 - 142 open Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa
spellingShingle Land-use
Land-cover
Changes
Commercial farming
Chiredzi
Muringaniza, Kudakwashe C. R.
Jerie, Steven
Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe
title Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe
title_full Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe
title_fullStr Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe
title_short Land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of Chiredzi district, Zimbabwe
title_sort land use and land cover changes in the commercial farming region of chiredzi district, zimbabwe
topic Land-use
Land-cover
Changes
Commercial farming
Chiredzi
url http://hdl.handle.net/11408/5022
work_keys_str_mv AT muringanizakudakwashecr landuseandlandcoverchangesinthecommercialfarmingregionofchiredzidistrictzimbabwe
AT jeriesteven landuseandlandcoverchangesinthecommercialfarmingregionofchiredzidistrictzimbabwe