Land occupation dynamics using Landsat remote sensing and conflicts of use in the department of Dianra north of Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Located in the pastoral extension area in the north of Ivory Coast, Dianra department undergoes a recomposition of the spatial forms that structure its territory. The major challenges of analyzing socio-ecological mutations in this context are the identification of differents land use by remote sensing.  The study was carried out on the basis of the Landsat satellite image analysis at three different dates in 1986, 2001 and 2016 and on the mobilization of data collected from bibliographic research and field surveys as part of an approach to understand the evolution of rules, norms and behaviours related to the use of natural resources. The data collected allowed to sequence this evolution in two periods: the period from 1986 to 2001 is characterized by an abundance of woody resources: 70 % of savannah (shrub and tree savannah) in 1986 and 16 % of dry dense forest and gallery forest.. This phase is marked by community management of natural resources. While, the second period running from 2001 to 2016 is characterized by the decline of woody resources: 37 % of savannah (shrub and tree savannah) and 2 % of dry dense forest and gallery forest. Land use dynamics leads to the shrinking of natural pastures and the fragmentation of space. This leads to increasingly recurrent conflicts of use between farmers and herders who have antagonistic visions of land use and hegemonic conflicts between villages for spaces control.