Anthropogenic Impacts on Land Use and Land Cover Change in Ombeyi wetland, Kisumu County, Kenya
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Date
2019
Authors
Odhiambo, Nicodemus Osoro
Obade, Paul
Gathuru, Gladys
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Macrothink Institute
Abstract
Land use and land cover change as a result of human-induced transitions is a major
environmental challenge in Lake Victoria Basin. The study adopted a mixed-method
consisting of remote sensing and GIS-based analysis, key informant interviews, and
household survey consisting of 384 households to asses Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics
and associated human-induced transformations in Ombeyi wetland. The study aimed at
generating a characterized area estimate of Ombeyi wetlands land use and land cover change
schema for the study period (1990-2017), and examining the spatial and temporal
characteristics of anthropogenic impacts and their relationship with land use and land cover
change in Ombeyi wetland. The gis-based analysis revealed that built-up area/settlements and agricultural lands extensively increased in area at the expense of wetland vegetation. Key
informants attributed the changes to population increase (29.2%) and an associated demand
for land and natural resources as the major driving forces for the changes. Analysis of
household-survey results validated the observed patterns during the remotely sensed data
analysis phase of the research, as 90.1% (n=384) of the respondents reported to own land
within the wetland through inheritance. 92.2% of the respondents are farmers practicing
farming in the wetland with 72.4% of the same respondents attaining primary level education
and below. Poverty and education levels were significant factors in influencing unsustainable
land use and land cover changes observed in this study. The present state of land cover and its
dynamics have had negative impacts on the riparian rural livelihoods and natural resource
management.
Description
An Article Published in International Journal of Regional Development
Keywords
Remote Sensing, Land Use, Land Cover, LULC change, Ombeyi wetland, Riparian rural livelihoods, GIS-based analysis
Citation
Osoro, O. N., Obade, P., & Gathuru, G. Anthropogenic Impacts on Land Use and Land Cover Change in Ombeyi wetland, Kisumu County, Kenya.