LAND COVER CHANGES IN DANBATTA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KANO STATE, NIGERIA

This research analyzed desertification and land degradation in Dambatta Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State with the view to delineating hotspot areas that require intervention. The imageries used for the research analysis were obtained from National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja. The data sets were captured by Landsat Multispectral Scanner/Thematic Mapper (MSS/TM) 1997, Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) 2007 and Operational Land Imager (OLI) 2017. Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) algorithm was used for classification. Post classification change detection technique was conducted using ILWIS 5.2 and later converted to shape files where it was imported to ArcMap 10.2 GIS software. The result of the classification was presented in tables, which were subsequently compared using Post Classification Comparison (PCC) technique to estimate and compute temporal and spatial changes as well as rate and area extent of changes between the four images. The result shows that desert encroachment has occurred in the study area at the rate of 5.65km2/yr over the 20 years. A composite Land Cover map and NDVI map of 2017 were created and superimposed with the localities within Dambatta LGA, where the settlements requiring intervention were then drawn out. It revealed that almost all parts of the LGA require intervention. . However, some areas have more serious land degrdation issues than others. This has resulted from anthropogenic activities, environmental factors and erosion with negative effects on farmers, rural development, forest reserves and policy makers. Hence intervention in the form of afforestation is recommended to prevent further expansion of bare lands in the area.