Dynamics of Land Salinization in the Commune of Fimela (Fatick, Senegal) from 1973 to 2020

Abstract

In Senegal, the agricultural sector remains a major component of the economy and national growth. As the main subsistence activity for 60% of the population, agricultural activity is essential to reduce poverty and ensure food security for the population. In this context, land degradation is a major constraint. In the Fatick region, in the commune of Fimela, land salinization is a worrying environmental problem. The purpose of this study is to understand the dynamics of soil salinization in Fimela in the context of climate change that tends to modify the evolution of landscapes. It required direct observations in the field, socio-economic surveys based on a questionnaire administered in six (6) villages. The processing of the data from these surveys was carried out with Sphinx software for the extraction of data in numerical form and SPSS to carry out the correlations between the collected variables. Excel was also used to perform calculations and make tables and graphs. In addition, the acquisition and processing of Landsat multi-spectral satellite images from 1973, 1988 and 2020 allowed us to observe the evolution of landscape units according to determining climatic events such as drought. The areas of tans have experienced a positive evolution during the period 1973-2020 with an increase of 163.11 hectares or an evolution rate of 7.47%. The localities most affected are Ndangane, Fimela, Djilor, Simal and the villages of the Mar Islands. The overall dynamics of cultivable land are marked by a decline with a rate of change of −18%. Despite the multiple reforestation campaigns, the mangrove has recorded a continuous decrease of 54.58% or a loss estimated at 5335.59 ha during the period 1973-2020. Finally, the analysis of the results of our study shows that land salinization is a determining element of the dynamics of land use and deteriorates the already precarious living conditions of rural populations and compromises the future of the agropastoral production system.