Spatio-temporal assessment of agriculture & mangroves and its impact on socioeconomy of people in Indus Delta

摘要

Landuse situation of agriculture and land cover situation of mangroves forests in the delta are traditionally old. Spatial expansion of agriculture and mangroves forestsis has not remain same in current situation. Results detected from the satellite images shows that cultivated lands are decreasing and the mangroves forests are increasing. In active part of the Delta, cultivated land was covered by 116928 acres in 1998 and 88172 acres in 2008 and 48787 acres in 2018. On the other hand, estimated spatial coverage of mangroves forests in 1998 was 21991 acres and in 2018 is 70850 acres. Agriculture in the Indus Delta is severely affected since the last two decades. Out of a total 2 million hectare land, about 0.3 million hectare is cultivated each year in the delta. Almost major part of the delta comes under district thatta. It has total nine administrative subdivisions. Data of cultivated/uncultivated land between the period 1998 and 2008 shows that more than 80% land of these subdivisions are not used for cultivation during this period. Under the present conditions average farmer's family cultivates three acres of land. Average income per family estimated from the survey is 2.0 $ per day that indicates the prevalence of extreme poverty in the area.