Journal of
Geography and Regional Planning

  • Abbreviation: J. Geogr. Reg. Plann.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2070-1845
  • DOI: 10.5897/JGRP
  • Start Year: 2008
  • Published Articles: 395

Full Length Research Paper

Analysis of land use and land cover change in Rusinga Island, Kenya

Samuel Enock Wekesa
  • Samuel Enock Wekesa
  • Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, P. O. Box 29053-00625 Kangemi, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Stephen M. Mureithi
  • Stephen M. Mureithi
  • Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, P. O. Box 29053-00625 Kangemi, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Oliver Vivian Wasonga
  • Oliver Vivian Wasonga
  • Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, P. O. Box 29053-00625 Kangemi, Nairobi, Kenya.
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  •  Received: 29 December 2020
  •  Accepted: 17 January 2022
  •  Published: 30 June 2024

Abstract

Sustainable land restoration requires a powerful and adaptable system that is able to capture local community views in decision making process. Participatory GIS was employed in analyzing LULCC in Rusinga Island. Data were collected in Rusinga West and Rusinga East location. Resource mapping exercise was undertaken during FGDs consisting of 12 members per location with good knowledge of LULCC. The participant represented graphically the perceived changes that occurred in 1978, 1998 and 2019. Common LULCs identified were forestland, croplands, settlement, grazing and bare areas. Photograph of the mental maps was taken using digital camera and digitized in Arc Map 10.7.1. Features recorded on the maps were taken using a GPS and used for geo-referencing and assisted in the analysis. Results showed significant changes (P<0.05) under settlement and forest in Rusinga West while significant changes occurred in forest, bare areas and settlement in Rusinga East between the years 1978 and 2019. This study revealed the importance of local community knowledge of both spatial and temporal changes occurring within their territories. Participatory GIS can be adopted by the county government in involving the local community because it is a valuable approach.

 

Key words: Land use and land cover change, PGIS, Rusinga Island.

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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