The dynamics of land use-land cover changes for the years 1984, 1992, 2001 and 2014 in Mutasa district, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Tropical woodlands in southern Africa are a primary focus of conservation efforts because they are currently under threat from rapid clearing for agriculture and human settlements. A study was carried out in Mutasa district (18°35′0″S and 32°45′0″E) in northern Eastern Zimbabwe using data that spanned the period 1984 to 2014 in order to quantify the spatial and following the conversion to agricultural lands. The land cover changes analysis for the district showed a marked decline in land areas under woodland and considerable increase in area devoted to cultivation. Temporal land-use and land cover changes in Mutasa district on the woodland and plantation forests cover. The annual rate of net cover change from natural woodland to cropland in the district was 0.8% and this was generally higher than the annual rate of net cover changes in tropical Africa which averages 0.36%. The period from 1992 to witnessed the highest daily conversion rate of commercial farm land under woodland (miombo) and forest plantations to cropland of about 3 ha per day and this also coincided with the Fast Track Land Reform Programme which started in 2000.