Assessing the Spatial Agricultural Land Use Transition in Thiès Region, Senegal, and Its Potential Driving Factors

Abstract

The agricultural land use transition (ALUT) assessment can be a prominent tool for comprehensively implementing suitable agricultural land use and agricultural development in Senegal. Based on remote sensing and survey data, this investigation aimed to simultaneously assess the geographical dispersion of ALUT and its probable mechanisms and determine the agricultural land functions in the Thiès region. Through ArcGIS and ENVI software, the remote sensing data of 2000, 2010, and 2020, the transfer matrix method and a spatial index calculation were used to characterize the ALUT. Then, the mixed linear regression model was constructed to determine the relationship between ALUT and its potential driving factors. The main results show that ALUT was about −588.66 km2. Regarding spatial distribution, a positive net ALUT was experienced in the north-west department of Tivaouane; conversely, a negative transition was noted in the southern Mbour department. The agricultural land per capita (0.37 ha/per) and the per capita agricultural income (USD $167.18) were unsatisfactory, and only 59.49% of the respondents frequently used fertilizers for production. The linear regression model showed that rainfall variability, research and development, soil salinization, and land tenure were significant at 1% (p < 0.01) with agricultural land change, living security, and ecological functions. Parallelly, transportation facilities (p < 0.01) and agricultural investment (p < 0.01) were also significant with agricultural land morphology change, while population growth (p < 0.1) was only correlated with agricultural land morphology change. These factors reflect the farmer’s income and often induce land abandonment and degradation of agricultural land. Consequentially, the ALUT in the Thiès region revealed several insights, such as the need to strengthen land use reforms and research and development. Therefore, agricultural land use is impacted by many fields that require an inter-discipline research method for practical and balanced use. Such endeavors could start with reconciling agricultural development and land conservation.