Land use/cover changesand its implication to rural livelihoods the case of Magugu and Gichameda villages in balata district, Tanzania

This study assessed the land use changes and its implication to rural livelihood in Gichameda and Magugu villages. This included spatial and temporal change analysis overtime and its causes, and the way the inhabitants of the area adapt to these changes of land cover. Different methods including household questionnaire survey, focus group discussion, field observation and key informants interview where used in data collection to complement each other. Furthermore remote sensing techniques were applied to establish different land use/cover changes for different period. Different data analysis procedures were used which included running descriptive statistics by using SPSS software in quantitative data and thematic analysis coupled with personal judgement was involved. Findings from the study showed that between 2000 and 2010 there have been spatial and temporal changes in land use/cover associated with modification of land use/cover types as well as conversion of one land use cover types to another. The changes have been due to intensification and expansion of agriculture at the expense of the land use/cover types. For example the study has noted the significant increase in cultivated land from 372.96 ha in 2000 to 476.54 ha in 2010 for Gichameda Village and 144.98 ha in 2000 to 163.82 ha in 2010 for MagutuVillage.The major drivers of these changes are population growth, technological change, market price, infrastructure development, policy influence and climate change through long term dry spells. These changes have affected people’s livelihoods depending on their social economic characteristics. It is concluded that the study area has experienced changes in land use/cover changes which has influenced by rural community livelihoods. The study recommends that the government should support land users to intensify their land use instead of land expansion as well as promoting participatory land use planning and land management programs that will ensure sustainable land resources management.