Assessment of current changes in land use and occupancy

This research looked at the spatio-temporal changes in land use and occupation in the Lower Ouémé Valley as a result of various practices. The methodology adopted made it possible to collect and process a range of data (satellite climatic demographic hydrological). The results obtained show that from 1986 to 2015 crops and fallow land predominated rising from 23% to 32% while habitats and bare soil increased significantly from 15% to 18%. Marshy meadows have also increased substantially accounting for 13% of the total surface area. Water bodies remain relatively stable at around 19% while swamp formations plantations and forest patches have degraded considerably accounting for just 8% 7% and 3% respectively of the Lower Ouémé Valley''s surface area which has been converted into other land-use units. Vegetation degradation factors are attributed to demographic growth pastoral pressure (transhumance and others...) agricultural practices land tenure urbanization and climate variability.