scholarly journals Desertification Risk and Rural Development in Southern Europe: Permanent Assessment and Implications for Sustainable Land Management and Mitigation Policies

Land ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosanna Salvia ◽  
Gianluca Egidi ◽  
Sabato Vinci ◽  
Luca Salvati
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Socioeconomic Factors ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
Landscape Degradation ◽  
Rural Environments ◽  
Patterns And Processes

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification defines ‘land degradation’ as a reduction or loss of the biological and economic productivity resulting from land-use mismanagement, or a combination of processes, such as soil erosion, deterioration of soil properties, and loss of natural vegetation and biodiversity. Land degradation is hence an interactive process involving multiple factors, among which climate, land-use, economic dynamics and socio-demographic forces play a key role. Especially in the Mediterranean basin, joint biophysical and socioeconomic factors shape the intrinsic level of vulnerability of both natural and agricultural land to degradation. The interplay between biophysical and socioeconomic factors may become extremely complex over time and space, resulting in specific patterns of landscape deterioration. This paper summarizes theoretical expectations and empirical knowledge in the field of soil and landscape degradation in Mediterranean Europe, evidencing the intimate relationship between agriculture and socio-demographic factors of growth (or decline) of rural areas. Understanding spatio-temporal trends of each factor underlying land degradation and the related background context is a key tool in the assessment of the spatial distribution of vulnerable and critical land to degradation. Empirical results of a permanent monitoring of land degradation contributes to delineate more effective conservation policies through identification of target areas requiring specific actions for biodiversity and landscape protection. With increasing human pressure on rural environments, a diachronic evaluation of patterns and processes of land degradation reveals particularly appropriate in a both positive and normative perspective, prefiguring new actions for soil conservation and landscape valorization under global change.

scholarly journals The application of drones for mosquito larval habitat identification in rural environments: a practical approach for malaria control?

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle C. Stanton ◽  
Patrick Kalonde ◽  
Kennedy Zembere ◽  
Remy Hoek Spaans ◽  
Christopher M. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Image Analysis ◽  
Malaria Control ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Aquatic Vegetation ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Larval Habitat ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Rural Environments

Abstract Background Spatio-temporal trends in mosquito-borne diseases are driven by the locations and seasonality of larval habitat. One method of disease control is to decrease the mosquito population by modifying larval habitat, known as larval source management (LSM). In malaria control, LSM is currently considered impractical in rural areas due to perceived difficulties in identifying target areas. High resolution drone mapping is being considered as a practical solution to address this barrier. In this paper, the authors’ experiences of drone-led larval habitat identification in Malawi were used to assess the feasibility of this approach. Methods Drone mapping and larval surveys were conducted in Kasungu district, Malawi between 2018 and 2020. Water bodies and aquatic vegetation were identified in the imagery using manual methods and geographical object-based image analysis (GeoOBIA) and the performances of the classifications were compared. Further, observations were documented on the practical aspects of capturing drone imagery for informing malaria control including cost, time, computing, and skills requirements. Larval sampling sites were characterized by biotic factors visible in drone imagery and generalized linear mixed models were used to determine their association with larval presence. Results Imagery covering an area of 8.9 km2 across eight sites was captured. Larval habitat characteristics were successfully identified using GeoOBIA on images captured by a standard camera (median accuracy = 98%) with no notable improvement observed after incorporating data from a near-infrared sensor. This approach however required greater processing time and technical skills compared to manual identification. Larval samples captured from 326 sites confirmed that drone-captured characteristics, including aquatic vegetation presence and type, were significantly associated with larval presence. Conclusions This study demonstrates the potential for drone-acquired imagery to support mosquito larval habitat identification in rural, malaria-endemic areas, although technical challenges were identified which may hinder the scale up of this approach. Potential solutions have however been identified, including strengthening linkages with the flourishing drone industry in countries such as Malawi. Further consultations are therefore needed between experts in the fields of drones, image analysis and vector control are needed to develop more detailed guidance on how this technology can be most effectively exploited in malaria control.

scholarly journals Impacts of Urbanization on Land Use Pattern and Environment: A Case Study of Ajmer City, Rajasthan

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-91
Author(s):  
Bhanu Priya Chouhan ◽  
Monika Kannan
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Urban Growth ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Population Pressure ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Land Use Patterns ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
The Impact

The world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history. More than half of the world’s population now lives in towns and cities, and by 2030 this number will swell to about 5 billion. ‘Urbanization has the potential to usher in a new era of wellbeing, resource efficiency and economic growth. But due to increased population the pressure of demand also increases in urban areas’ (Drakakis-Smith, David, 1996). The loss of agricultural land to other land uses occasioned by urban growth is an issue of growing concern worldwide, particularly in the developing countries like India. This paper is an attempt to assess the impact of urbanization on land use and land cover patterns in Ajmer city. Recent trends indicate that the rural urban migration and religious significance of the place attracting thousands of tourists every year, have immensely contributed in the increasing population of city and is causing change in land use patterns. This accelerating urban sprawl has led to shrinking of the agricultural land and land holdings. Due to increased rate of urbanization, the agricultural areas have been transformed into residential and industrial areas (Retnaraj D,1994). There are several key factors which cause increase in population here such as Smart City Projects, potential for employment, higher education, more comfortable and quality housing, better health facilities, high living standard etc. Population pressure not only directly increases the demand for food, but also indirectly reduces its supply through building development, environmental degradation and marginalization of food production (Aldington T, 1997). Also, there are several issues which are associated with continuous increase in population i.e. land degradation, pollution, poverty, slums, unaffordable housing etc. Pollution, formulation of slums, transportation congestion, environmental hazards, land degradation and crime are some of the major impacts of urbanization on Ajmer city. This study involves mapping of land use patterns by analyzing data and satellite imagery taken at different time periods. The satellite images of year 2000 and 2017 are used. The change detection techniques are used with the help of Geographical Information System software like ERDAS and ArcGIS. The supervised classification of all the three satellite images is done by ERDAS software to demarcate and analyze land use change.

Exploring the role of land degradation on agricultural land use change dynamics

2018 ◽  
Vol 636 ◽  
pp. 1373-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bajocco ◽  
D. Smiraglia ◽  
M. Scaglione ◽  
E. Raparelli ◽  
L. Salvati
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Change Dynamics

scholarly journals Land Use Development of Vineyards in Goriška Brda, Slovenia

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 611-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alenka FIKFAK ◽  
Velibor SPALEVIC ◽  
Saja KOSANOVIC ◽  
Svetislav G. POPOVIC ◽  
Mladen DJUROVIC ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Cross Tabulation ◽  
The Cross

Land development analyses play a fundamental role in understanding how land use change shapes the land, depending on continuously changing social, economic, and environmental factors that reflect the interests in space. It is especially important to follow land use changes in rural areas due to their role in food security, environmental hazards, cultural landscape preservation, etc. Continuous analyses and monitoring of land use changes allow for the identification and prevention of negative trends in land use (over intensification, land fragmentation, etc.) that might affect biodiversity, change physical and chemical properties of soil, causing soil degradation, change the spatial balance, stability and natural equilibrium in the rural area. The use of the cross-tabulation matrix methodology was suggested for land use change analyses. The methodology, when the cross-tabulation matrix elements are correctly interpreted, allows us to gain as much insight as possible in the process of land use change. This approach enabled a detailed analysis of vineyards in Goriška brda, Slovenia. It was found that the existing methodology fails to analyse the location of change. For this reason, additional analyses of spatial distribution of change and of the locations where changes in space occur were suggested. The study demonstrated that the land use category of vineyards changes systematically, although seemingly randomly. By comparing land use categories over several time periods, the study determined that the size and speed of change varied across different time intervals. The identified land use changes were assessed in the context of their high pressure on agricultural land. The results of the analyses showed different trends shaping the typical agrarian landscape in Goriška brda.

Spatial-based assessment of land use, soil erosion, and water protection in the Jeneberang valley, Indonesia

Biologia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumbangan Baja ◽  
Muhamad Ramli ◽  
Syamsul Lias
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Soil Erosion Rate ◽  
Analytical Procedures

AbstractSoil erosion by water is considered as one of the most significant forms of land degradation that affects sustained productivity of agricultural land use and water quality. It is influenced by a considerable number of factors (including climate, soil, topography, land use and types of land management), so that the information on the spatial distribution of soil erosion rate and its related effects can be effectively employed as a baseline data for land use development and water protection. The principal aim of this study is three-fold: (i) to map existing land use; (ii) to assess and map the spatial distribution of average annual rate of soil losses in the study area; (iii) to evaluate spatial matching between existing and proposed land use including a distance analysis from the water body (the Bili-Bili Dam). An analytical procedures used, respectively, include supervised classification of satellite imagery, application of RUSLE (Revised USLE), and overlay analysis in a raster GIS environment, utilising available information in the region covering some parts of Jeneberang catchment, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The results suggest that the outputs of this study can be used for the identification of land units on a cell-basis with different land use types, rate of soil loss, inconsistency between proposed and planned land use, as well as the threat of land degradation to the main river and the dam. The analytical procedures developed in this research may be useful in other areas, particularly in the studies related to the assessment and mapping of land use and erosion for the importance of sustainable land use at a relatively large area.

scholarly journals Effects of Land Degradation on Agricultural Land Use: A Case Study of Smallholder Farmers Indigenous Knowledge on Land Use Planning and Management in Kalama Division, Machakos County

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Masila Samson Muloo ◽  
Kauti Matheaus Kioko ◽  
Kimiti Jacinta M.
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Planning And Management

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of land degradation on agricultural land use, planning and management in Kalama Division, Machakos County; and specifically determined farmers’ considerations of land suitability for selected types of agricultural land uses in varying cropping zones, investigated farmers’ local environmental knowledge of land degradation indicators and finally documented farmers’ land management strategies and practices for soil and water conservation. Data was collected using a questionnaire, along a road transect cutting across upper, middle and lower zones (parts) of a slope. A total of 40 households along the transect on the three zones were interviewed. Results obtained revealed that crop farming, livestock, poultry, farm forestry and bee keeping were the major agricultural land use activities carried out in the study area. Overall, steep slope was the most important factor considered for farm forestry (17%) (5.29 STDEV). Bee farming was the least land use practice accounting for only 1% of total land use. Most land degradation (15%) was reported in the middle zone while lowest land degradation (7%) was reported in the upper zone. The study found out that most households were aware of land degradation indicators in their local environment and described them using their indigenous environmental knowledge. The smallholder farmers prevented further land degradation by use of their local or traditional ways such as application of organic manure, planting of trees, crop rotation, use of gabions and stone lines. Different zones had different land use and management practices due to differences in terrain and other physical and biophysical characteristics. Overall, the major land management practices included tree planting (23%) (4.04 STDEV) and water conservation and gabion making (10%) (2.52 STDEV). This study clearly established an existence of smallholder farmers’ indigenous knowledge, perceptions, and beliefs of the local environmental factors of land condition which are necessary for the farmer’s decision-making on land use planning and management. On the basis of these findings, the study argues for place-based analysis and understanding of the landscape structure and local micro-environments in enhancing understanding of local-level decision-making on land use planning and management by smallholder farmers in maintaining livelihood security. Even though the study is limited to the local scope, it can provide a basis for designing policies aimed at rural livelihood security improvement and inform and facilitate targeting of outside interventions such as land use planning and management programs which can be built on existing indigenous knowledge.

scholarly journals Management of rural territories land resources in decentralization conditions

2019 ◽  
pp. 24-36
Author(s):  
Andriy Sava ◽  
Borys Sydoruk ◽  
Roman Voloshyn
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Land Resources ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Community Needs

Introduction. Under decentralization, there is a gradual transfer of powers and resources to local governments. In this case, one of the most urgent problem for rural areas, is the organization of rational land management from the position of financial support improving through the disposing of lands, and using available lands for community needs. Methods. General and special methods – monographic and abstract-logical, methods of generalization, comparison and analysis have been applied for data processing. Results. During the decentralization reform, it was found that 488 rural united territorial communities were formed, covering almost half the area of all UTCs created. In addition, nearly 800 village councils joint to the city-based UTCs. The ways of the redistribution of powers on the UTC land resources management are established at the expense of acquiring their own powers, obtaining delegated ones, as well as acquiring the rights of other institutions. Emphasis is placed on the benefits of managing land resources of rural communities at the local level. It has been determined that the applicable law restrict communal land use of UTC. At the same time, the importance of agricultural land outside the settlement transfer to the disposal of communities is emphasized. The importance of the land payment in the structure of local budget revenues is analyzed in detail, the key problems and contradictions that accompany the process of land management powers reallocation are identified. Suggestions are made to improve the rural communities land resources management through their inventory, accounting and monitoring, revision of rental rates for communal property, strengthening control over compliance with the terms of land use agreements, use of free lands in the interests of communities. Discussion. Further studies in this area are going to be aimed at developing a comprehensive mechanism for ensuring effective management of land resources in rural areas after the completion of decentralization. Keywords: land resources, rural territories, decentralization, united territorial communities, local governments.

scholarly journals The Role Of Management Of The Field-Forest Boundary In Poland’s Process Of Agricultural Restructuring

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franciszek Woch ◽  
Robert Borek
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Polish Literature ◽  
Agricultural Restructuring ◽  
Comprehensive Management ◽  
Forest Boundary

Abstract The aim of the work described here has been to point to the relationships between the field-forest boundary and crop productivity as regards the present agrarian land-use structure in Poland, and to provide new opportunities for arranging the agrarian process and the spatial planning of the rural landscape in the context of the sustainable shaping of the field-forest boundary. Impacts of forests and woodlands on crop productivity have been assessed using available data from relevant Polish literature. An assessment of the plot-distribution pattern characterising farms in Poland was made on the basis of reference data from the Agency for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture. Finally, the possibility of afforestation of agricultural land has been evaluated within the existing legal framework, and on the basis of available data, with attention paid to the need to include organization of the field-forest boundary within the comprehensive management and planning of rural areas, and to preserve woody elements in patchy landscapes. This all creates an opportunity to test innovative approaches to integrated land use which combines the creation of public goods and local products based on participatory learning processes that bring in local stakeholders and decision-makers.

scholarly journals Zmiany w rolniczym użytkowaniu ziemi w Europie Środkowo-Wschodniej po upadku

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 15-34
Author(s):  
Jerzy Bański
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Spatial Differentiation ◽  
Eastern Bloc ◽  
Structural Elements ◽  
Agricultural Policies ◽  
East Central Europe ◽  
Eastern European Countries

The aim of this study is to diagnose and identify trends for agricultural land use structure in the Central and Eastern European countries. Particular attention has been paid to the spatial differentiation characterising that structure, and to the significance that diverse kinds of conditioning have had in shaping it. Analysis has extended to the basic structural elements of agricultural land that are arable land, grasslands and permanent crops, while the countries included are the East-Central Europe acceding to the EU, i.e., Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria. The main sources of database have been Eurostat and FAO. The region under study emerges as very much diversified in terms of structure relating to structural elements of agricultural land. However, once the Eastern Bloc fell, all the countries experienced losses in area of agricultural land, as well as declines in the amounts of land growing permanent crops. Where key crops were concerned, the share of industrial species increase at the expense of vegetables, fruits and potatoes cultivation. Key factors underpinning observed trends for land use comprised privatisation and restitution of land, demographic processes in rural areas, domestic and EU agricultural policies as well as agro-ecological conditions.

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