Abstract
Lack of statistical data constitutes the main constraint to assess the effects of land use change in developing countries like Guinea. Here we examine the role of land use change in improving the livelihood of local mangrove rice farmers in the Guinean coastal zone based on both satellite and field survey data. We investigated land use change dynamics using spatial analysis and field survey data for the Dubreka prefecture, Guinea, from where statistics and maps are not sufficiently available. For this research, Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) remote sensing data were used to perform the imagery analysis on land use change. In addition, a field survey was conducted to collect socioeconomic data on households and farm management. Our results showed a substantial recent land use change with 41.7% of the total area (5,099 ha) undergoing transition. The logistic regression analysis revealed that membership in the farmers’ organizations and crop yields are the two main factors determining land use transition from mangrove forest to paddy land. This study presents several guidelines or policy directions for improvement of farmer’s livelihood and mitigation of rapid land use change in the Guinean coastal belt. These include; improvement of mangrove rice productivity by incorporating modern farming technologies, strengthening and maintaining strong embankments to prevent sea water intrusion into the rice fields, and strengthening farmers’ organizations to enhance farmer participation.
