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Theme: THE DEGRADATION OF WETLANDS AND ITS SOCIO ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS IN NDOP CENTRAL SUBDIVISION, NORTH WEST PROVINCE CAMEROON
Page 34
Bamendjin dam in 1975 whose waters extended into large areas is also another factor which accounted for these changes. The flood waters of this dam are still present during this period. These changes can be perceived on table 8.
Table 8: Land cover of Ndop Central subdivision in 2002
Land cover |
Surface area occupied (km2) |
Percentage occupied by land cover |
Habitation zones |
63.36km2 |
15.76% |
Rice fields in wetlands |
100.17km2 |
24.9% |
Food crop zone in wetlands |
43.82km2 |
10.9% |
Food crop zone on dryland |
23.11km2 |
5.74% |
Dam |
166.5km2 |
41.4% |
Others land uses |
5.05km2 |
1.25% |
Total |
402.01km2 |
100% |
Source: Mphoweh J.N. from satellite Image of 2002
From table 8 and as seen on figure 9, it is realised that farming surfaces have increased considerably from about 11.14 km2 in 1963 to about 66.93 km 2 in 2002. This equally holds true for habitation areas which increased from about 10.23 km 2 in 1963 to about 63.36 km 2 in 2002, representing 15.76 % of the study area. Another new activity (i.e. rice cultivation) presently occupies large expanses in the wetlands, evaluated at 100.17 km2. It is worthwhile mentioning that the construction of the Bamendjin dam and its flood waters, rice fields and food crop cultivation zones expanded to the detriment of wetlands. These have led to wetland degradation in most areas and wetland loss in others. Areas that have been drained and transformed to dry land, fall under this category of lost wetlands. These areas are evaluated at about 110.18 km2, meanwhile areas still considered wetlands, but degraded to a large extent due to farming activities come up to about 100.17 km2. The total areas lost and degraded come up to about 143.99 km2; corresponding to about 45.63 % of the initial surfaces occupied by wetlands.
From 1963 to 2002, it can be deduced that wetlands degraded here at a rate of about 3.69 km2 per year, i.e. 1.17% annually. At this rate, it can be projected that over the same period of study (39 years), wetlands would have been completely lost and/or degraded from Ndop Central Subdivision.
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