IMPACT OF SPATIOTEMPORAL LAND USE AND LAND COVER CHANGE ON LAND UNDER MAIZE CULTIVATION IN LIKUYANI SUB-COUNTY, KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Likuyani Sub -County is ideal climate and high-quality soil for farming, especially maize cultivation—a major crop in Kenya—Likuyani Sub-County has established itself as the nation's main hub for the production of maize and seeds. Though Kenya has a reputation for producing maize, recent reports have shown a worrying reduction in the country's output, forcing the government to import the crop to make up for the gap. This decrease is associated with rapid population increase, which leads to significant changes in land usage and the division of agricultural land into smaller, less profitable units. A major problem, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas, is the potential negative impact of these changes on rural livelihoods. The goal of the study was to understand the complex dynamics and driving forces behind changes in land use and land cover, with a particular emphasis on land used on production of maize in Likuyani Sub-County between 1997 and 2017. Sentinel 2A, Landsat 7 ETM+, and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS satellite imagery for the corresponding years were carefully examined utilizing pixel-oriented supervised image classification methods. For verification and analysis, questionnaires, GPS data collecting, ground observations, and additional data were used. ArcGIS, Microsoft Office software, and ERDASS IMAGINE are examples of analytical tools that made data interpretation and statistical analysis easier. Between 1997 and 2017, the analysis showed a notable yearly decrease of 8.92% in area used for maize production, in contrast to an annual growth of 10.87% in land occupied by structures. Coverage of grasses and shrubs decreased by 0.31% every year, whereas sections of woodland and swamps stayed mostly unchanged. Regression analysis among other statistical techniques revealed the detrimental impact of land alterations on maize producing land. The study urges the quick identification and use of the best land management techniques in Likuyani Sub-County in light of these findings. The identification, development, and implementation of sustainable land management methods necessitates the active participation of all pertinent stakeholders, especially local populations.