Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Niamey Municipality from 1981 to 2021 in Flood Context

Abstract

The increase in population leads to a need for housing and agricultural land. As a result, some areas are being modified to meet these needs. In addition, rapid growth combined with the negative impacts of climate change observed in recent decades, plays an important role in land use changes. This study examines land use changes in Niamey, Niger, from 1981 to 2021. To detect land use changes, a geographic information system is used. Data processing and analysis were carried out using ENVI 4.5 and Arc GIS 10.4.1 software. The results show that land cover changes in Niamey are caused by land use and it was noted that the average changes of shallow areas, irrigated agricultural areas, and agricultural land during the period 1981–2021 are estimated at 71479, 675554.5, 34572542, and 132208440 m2 respectively, which means that human activities through housing areas and agriculture are the main causes of land cover changes. In contrast, the waterhole, the Sahelian short grass savannah, and the steppe show a negative rate of -287416, -39583425, and -8669576 m2 respectively. Human overexploitation of land has an impact on vegetation and water resources. This situation is exacerbated by the impacts of climate change such as drought and desertification. This study provides valuable information for land use planning and management, especially in the context of climate change mitigation and sustainable development in the region.