Sociotechnical analyses of households’ comprehension of land use and land cover change in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

Abstract

Communal land systems are undergoing degradation, and this has implications for food and water security. This study examines land use and land cover changes in communal land system of Mthatha river catchment, South Africa, by using a juxtaposition of GIS and Remote Sensing imageries and ethnography aimed at understanding how custodians of this land system comprehend LULC changes in their localities. The article examines the extent of divergence and/or convergence of inhabitants’ perceived LULC changes and GIS and Remote Sensing imageries of their area. A semi structured questionnaire was used to collect perceptions data from 183 randomly selected households within the catchment. Mitigation and adaptation strategies were also identified in the paper. Findings revealed that most participants (90%) correctly perceived an increase in built up areas, decreases in cultivated land (77%), water bodies (56%), plantations (72%), grasslands (52%) and natural forests (59%). Bare lands were perceived to be decreasing (72%) in contrast to an observed 11% increase through satellite imagery. Lack of consensus between perceived changes and findings from satellite images indicates gaps in existing knowledge about LULC. These divergence and convergence of understanding between the technical outputs of GIS and Remote Sensing and local communities’ knowledge, perceptions and practical experiences can be useful in managing LULC changes in context specific ways. How individuals perceive the problem determines the level of commitment to solving it. The findings of this study are important for policymakers and scientific communities as they create the important base for dialogue with communities.