Assessment of the land use changes due to traditional irrigation activities: the case study of four villages around Ruaha Mbuyuni, Iringa and Morogoro Tanzania
| dc.contributor.author | Rugenga Elizabeth | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-12-11T07:09:45Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-12-11T07:09:45Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2002 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation | |
| dc.description.abstract | The study on assessment of land use changes due to traditional irrigation activities was conducted in four villages around Ruaha Mbuyuni from June 2000 to June 2001. Three sets of aerial photographs (1955, 1976 and 1999) were used, interpreted on mirror stereoscope and analysed using GIS-ARC/INFO program. The area of each class was' calculated for each data set from which the rate of expansion of irrigated farms was determined. The questionnaire survey was conducted to collect information on the historical changes in natural resources and socio-economic activities responsible for land use changes and analysed using SPSS program. Stratified random sampling was also conducted for soil physical and chemical analyses. By using rating procedures the contribution of soil properties in land use changes was carried out. The results showed that irrigated fields expanded by 2056.8ha and 1528.6ha with expansion rate of 97.94ha/yr and 66.46ha/yr from 1955 to 1976 and 1976 to 1999 respectively. Human population increased from 2886 to 16877people between 1967 and 1998. Irrigation activities have been observed to increase the extent of socio-economic activities like firewood gathering and building. The results for soil analysis indicated that, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and organic matter content was low in all fields and therefore low soil fertility in the area. Exchangeable Na were observed to be high in some fields and having high potential to cause soil salinity and sodicity. Other chemical properties i.e pH values, Ca, Mg and CEC were observed to be within the acceptable range for irrigation activities and crop productivity. The soil physical properties indicated that the bulk density of the soil were within the acceptable range for water infiltration and plant roots penetration. The soil textural class was observed to range from sand loam to sand clay loam for the topsoil and sand to clay for the subsoil. Generally, the results have shown that the pattern of land use changes in the study area were due to irrigation activities taking place in the area which has influenced population growth and socio-economic development. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | SACCAR/GTZ | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7178 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Sokoine University of Agriculture | |
| dc.subject | Traditional irrigation | |
| dc.subject | Artificial land resources | |
| dc.subject | Land resources | |
| dc.subject | Soil fertility degradation | |
| dc.title | Assessment of the land use changes due to traditional irrigation activities: the case study of four villages around Ruaha Mbuyuni, Iringa and Morogoro Tanzania | |
| dc.type | Thesis |