Abstract:
Land use land cover change (LULCC) is one of the most challenges that aggravate
environmental problems. Understanding the scope of LULCC, driving forces, and
consequences is crucial for proper management of water and land resources. We investigated
LULCC using GIS and remote sensing data (1993–2023) to identify LULC class, by field
observation, household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions in the
study area. The results show that there are 5 major land use types: forest, rain fed
agriculture; settlement, irrigable land, and grazing land were identified. These are the study
areas that have changed significantly during the past 3 decades between 1993 and 2023, with
an overall accuracy (%) of 83, 85, and 81 and a kappa coefficient of 84, 87, and 82 for 1993,
2009, and 2023, respectively. This observed change indicates a reduction in forest land and
rain fed agriculture land from 6.96% to 6.61% (1993–2023) and 33.82% to 22.07% (1993
2023), respectively. An increase in settlement, irrigable land, and grazing land was 5.05% to
7.06% (1993 to 2023), 21.62% to 29.32% (1993–2023) and 32.55% to 34.94% (1993–2023),
respectively. Forest land was reduced from 6.96% in 1993 to 6.61% in 2023, but irrigable
land was expanded from 36.23% in 1993 to 51.63% in 2023. And the driving forces were
identified population pressure, a shortage of cultivated and fuel wood extraction behind the
LU/LC changes. The expansion of grazing land at the expense of forest cover in the study
area has negative implications for the natural resources and the livelihood of local people.
Thus to solve these LULC change; effective and strong land use planning and utilization
policy should be implemented by District land office in order to insure the sustainability of
natural resources in a way of participating the local community and the government should
be enhancing land use planning to aware development agents (DAs) and district officials are
important to improve the livelihood of farmers.
