Essay Writing Service http://HelpWriting.net/Analyzing-Land-Use-Change-And-Typology- 👈

1.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
123
Analyzing land use change and typology of the olive groves in the
Tunisian oriental coastline
Tahar JAOUACHI
PhD student, Horticulture Landscape and Environment Unit, Higher Agronomic
Institute of Chott Mariem – Sousse University, Sousse – Tunisia
Hichem REJEB
Professor and director of Horticulture Landscape and Environment Research Unit, Higher Agronomic
Institute of Chott Mariem – Sousse University, Sousse – Tunisia
Abstract
Based on the research carried out in four Tunisian coastal cities (Mahdia, Sfax, Gabes, Medenine), the
author attempts to answer the delicate question of whether there is a traditional model of farming
through the study. Equipped with a practical analysis of model of olive groves that resist to urban
pressure, it demonstrates the specificity of urban and suburban farms of the central and southern
Tunisian coastline (activities, practices, expertise, organization, etc.), with regard to their current
situation and both their future plans. Similarly, the study of land use in the various olive groves shows
diversity in the organization and operation of each cultural area. This analysis reveals a little difference
between olive groves, but allows a certain generalization of the results. Olive growing is still organized
primarily through the family and keeps its resistance to urbanization, in a context of modernity that
seems compatible with the directions for public policies.
1. Introduction
Metropolitan areas along the Tunisian coastline are growing at unprecedented rates, creating extensive
urban landscapes. Many of the farmlands, olive groves and some sensitive areas, which formed the
oriental coast, have been transformed since 1990. This date corresponds to the beginning of the
accession to globalization. During the past years, the human settlements, tourism development and the
urbanization change their local environment and the urban olive grove with a clear understanding of
their impacts. The spatiotemporal study of landscapes of the olive a tree reveals the impact of the
conflict between urbanization and agricultural farms and allows predict the impact of changes to come.
Several researchers studied urban threat of the Tunisian coast (Houimli 2008 ; Rejeb 2011 ; Oueslati
2014 ; Lataoui 2015), but urbanization continues to spread and threaten farmland.
The Tunisian Agency of the coast’s protection (APAL), the Office of Topography and Cartography
(OTC), and the National Institute of Statistics (INS) study the landscape transformations that result
from the growth of coastal metropolitan regions over time.
Using sources such as historic maps, aerial photographs, and satellite data, this research first assembles
retrospective urban dynamics and agricultural land use databases that reflect several decades of
changes. These databases are then used to analyze the effects of urbanization on the landscape of olive
trees, and to study the viability of the olive groves under the urban growth and land use change.
1.1. Background
Olive growing and agricultural activities have become less important since the mid-20th century, when
a rural exodus took place, mainly because of poor agricultural conditions (a Mediterranean climate,
undulating relief, and poor soils, tourism development, globalization, uncompetitive farm structures
(with small, scattered plots), the peripheral location of the farmlands, the lack of alternative
employment sectors and the extensive presence of elderly farm owners. Furthermore, the
socioeconomic and political changes in the coastal cities in the 1980s that led to an agricultural wages
lows and a migration from the countryside, made difficult to maintain traditional management and
organization into the olive grove.

2.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
124
According to the Minister of Agriculture, the olive cultivation in the Center and South of the coastline
occupied about 65 % of the total area of national olive groves (fig. 1). This crop suffers from
urbanization, meaning that approximately 20 % of the olive crop had been abandoned.
Fig. 1: Olive important producing regions in Tunisia FAO, 2015
In the map we can see the importance of olive production in the Center and South of Tunisian
coastline. This shows, in the same time, the danger caused by urbanization.
2. Land use change
Most major metropolitan areas face the growing problems of urban sprawl, loss of natural vegetation,
and an important connectivity of farmlands and urban areas. This spatial dynamics are identified when
the tourism, residential and commercial developments start to replace the olive groves. Urban growth

3.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
125
rates show no signs of slowing on the Tunisian coastline. These problems can be generally attributed
to population growth.
Urban and Suburban areas have evolved from small isolated population centers to large interconnected
economic, physical, and environmental features.
Urban growth and the concentration of people in urban areas are creating different tensions and
conflicts. Since the 1990s the coastal population has increased to 51 % of the national population.
Today, the percentage is nearly 75 %. The density of the coastal population is 140 inhabitants per km2
against a national average of 64 inhabitants per km2
concentrating more people on less land even as the
total land devoted to urbanization expands (Plan Bleu, 2010).
2.1. Understanding land use change
The geographic understanding of land use change in urban areas is a key aspect to analyzing
urbanization and farmland conflicts. By analyzing a temporal database for spatial mutations and
changes, we can provide insight into how cities have developed under various social, economic, and
environmental conditions.
This analysis requires understanding the history of the study area's land use. Population data, timelines
of historical events, and related information are all used to explain spatial changes.
Population data are correlated with the temporal database so that human movement can be tracked and
factored into these interpretations.
Population increases suggest an economic growth and the availability of jobs in the urban and
suburban area, but population declines suggest a decline in the livability or economic issues that cause
people to leave their regions and the rural areas.
Timelines of past events and other historical compilations contribute in identifying the issues that
affected the development of the region.
In addition to gathering statistical and historical information, scientists must have a physiographic
understanding of the place. Also, topographic features, the arid climate, inadequate supplies of water
and lack of rainfall can limit the development of agriculture and encourage rural exodus.
2.2. Impacts of land use change
Urban dynamics research in landscape characterization, urban growth models, and geographic
understanding provides the data necessary for analyzing the impacts of population growth and land use
changes. This information can be used to analyze the causes of urban congestion, pollution, and loss of
natural resources.
Each of these impacts is linked to changes in the extent of urban, agricultural, sensitive areas and
transportation systems.
Planners use urban dynamics data to evaluate environmental impacts, to delineate urban growth
boundaries or service areas, to develop land use zoning plans, and to gauge future infrastructure
requirements. Traffic congestion, a common malady of urbanization, is the result of urban growth,
which increases in population density, and out-dated transportation infrastructure (fig. 2).
By evaluating trends associated with land use change over time, solutions to traffic congestion may be
obtainable.
Many pollution impacts have occurred during the past three decades. Correlation between land use
change caused by urbanization and pollution helps researchers to establish positive or negative
externalities that indicate whether agricultural land use control strategies have been established. With
this information, policy makers, resource managers, and the public can make appropriate changes for
the future.
Ecologists and planners can use urban dynamics data to evaluate new mutations, changes in the
agricultural land use for future urbanization and to analyze them in the attempt of avoiding many
negative externalities like pollution – a problem common to urban areas, industrial sites, and
agricultural lands. The amount and degree of water pollution due to tourist and industrial development
can be avoided to predict the impacts in the future and plan the land use organization in order to
protect the agricultural lands. A study currently underway in the central and south coastline focuses on

4.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
126
the impact of the urbanization on the olive groves over time. In this study, spatiotemporal changes of
urban and suburban areas, farmlands, and olive groves are used to identify and understand the stakes of
olive tree in the urban and suburban situations.
2.3. Mapping land use change
Databases gathered by the DGPA and the INS contain interpretations of urban extent, activities
features, and other important land uses. Selected cities are currently in a progressive development.
Data source availability for each area, in conjunction with historical significance, determine the time
periods that is recomposed. Features are interpreted from diverse data sources including historical
topographic maps, satellite images, census statistics, and aerial photographs. The mutations and
territorial restructuring result in a significant spatial and temporal change of the urbanization process.
A temporal database can be visualized as a map, such as those shown above, or as computer
animations. The map illustrates the urbanization and olive groves conflicts on the Tunisian coastline.
The urbanization is taking place as a static pattern that changes with each time period.
Fig. 2: Tourism development and migration in the coastline

5.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
127
3. Study area
3.1. Why the Central and Southern coastline?
The choice of these cities is explained by two main reasons. The first one is their olive production in
quantity (about 60% of oil production in the country) and their quality. These cities have the biggest
superficies of olive cultivation in Tunisia (fig. 3).
The second reason is the socio-economic development and the demographic growth causing the
current geographical transformations (Table 1). The thirteen coastal governorates of the Eastern coast
of Tunisia, (from the governorate of Bizerte in the North-East and the South-East of Medenine), is
totaling 65.3 % of the total population with a high population density (140 inhabitants per km2
against
a national average of 64 inhabitants per km2
). The trend since the 1970s is on the rise (59.5 % in 1975)
with an annual population growth of 2.31 % between 1975 and 2004 (against 1.99 % nationally). It is
partly the result of a largely positive migration balance (112 787 over the period of 1999-2004) (INS,
2014). The urban population share is 75 % (65 % for the country).This study was carried out in the
central and southern of the Tunisian coastline, in the urban and suburban area of forth cities: Mahdia,
Sfax, Gabes and Medenine.
Fig. 3: Location of the study zone and olive superficies
The study areas have an arid Mediterranean climate, characterized by moderately cool winters (8°C
average temperature) and hot, dry summers (46°C average temperature in the South and 35°C in the
Center). The mean annual precipitations of 350 mm have a high inter-annual variable distribution and
seasonal concentration between the North and the Center. The wettest periods of the year are

6.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
128
concentrated in autumn and winter, between October and February, and the driest in summer, between
June and September.
4. Materials and methods
4.1. Field work:
This work consists of exploring the cities and identifying the threaten areas, both those mentioned in
the Urban Development Plan, as those observed in satellite images like roads, farm roads and urban
and suburban olive groves. This work makes it possible for the collection of photographic images of
the different areas. The objective of this work is to collect all information so as to study and analyze
not only the spatial dynamics but also the stakes of the urban and suburban olive groves.
4.2. Data sources:
The study of many olive groves and their design demonstrates the difference of land uses represented
by traditional land use, land abandonment and alternative land uses in the marginal areas (vegetable
crops, breeding, and fallow).
The selected land uses/covers are as follows: the olive cultivation, fruit trees and forage crops.
Indicators Mahdia Sfax Gabès Médenine
Population 394 993 963 062 374 300 470 982
Migration 684 13 973 1639 6 578
SAU (ha) 256 510 519 500 599 262 229 718
Urbanization 44 % 67.3% 68% 77%
Number of nights 1 462 021 430080 92 000 7 299 584
Industrial location 18.7 % 27.1% 1805% 4.3%
Olive production (T) 150 000 250 000 17 000 16 000
CRDA and INS, 2014
Table 1: Principal indicators of the different cities
The information necessary for a detailed analysis of operating performance and future of olive lands
were not available. To create them, we conducted direct observations in the study area, comprehensive
surveys a sample of 60 farms. These have were selected by random according to the regional district of
agricultural development (CRDA).
This survey concerns a sample of operators about the structure of olive farms and land use in the four
cities. The survey included information on the owner, the family, and the history of exploitation and of
olive growing, land use and decisions, investments credits, etc.
To study the urbanization evolution we use mainly two types of document such as the Urban
Development Plan. It is intended to regulate the allocation and land use, in order to ensure, for the
habitants, the best living conditions. It can be defined as an instrument of urban planning that regulates
the rights of soils in the area and land use.
5. Products
The study provides temporal land use databases, analyses of land use change, and olive landscape
changes composed of maps of urban extent, transportation routes, water features, and other significant
land uses compatible with use in geographic information systems (GIS).
The fate of farmers and olive activities in the cities of the Tunisian coastline is dependent on financial
resources available to farmers, activities practiced, and social conditions (age of farmers, children
successions, etc.). The examination of all these aspects completes the analysis of the operation, the
performance and the ability of olive groves to resist to urban pressure.
Several farmers provide no action to develop their olive groves under current conditions. They are
unable to reproduce the same structures of production and they need a special attention from the
governmental institutions. Others plans to confront urbanization and preserve the familial heritage
must be created.
The many productions show a diversity of farms surveyed (table 2), so it was imperative to identify the
different kinds through the different typologies (based on the multi-functionality of olive groves,

7.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
129
multiple employments for farmers, and solidarity. The study of the actual situations of farms gives the
following table:
Model of olive grove Rate
Family olive grove 37 %
Transition olive grove 22 %
Entrepreneurial olive grove 41 %
Total 100%
Table 2: Different models of olive groves
The study demonstrates that olive groves have a varied typology. The majority of farmers are
classified in a family model (37%). The choice of activities is determined by family structure and
operation is based on traditional productive expertise, multi-functionality of olive groves, social
solidarity and multiple employments for family members.
The comparative study of four cities shows similar situations. Due to urban sprawl, many farmers
choose the relocation and establishment in the back country to practice their olive growing without this
urban pressure, which explains the high rate of entrepreneurial model (41%), while those who are not
able to resist, eventually give up the cultivation of olive trees and sell their plots (22%).
From another angle, we note that the family factor is very present in the operation of the olive tree
farms.
These results demonstrate that both models (entrepreneurial model and family model), have the largest
number of farms that resist to urban pressure. Also, some other farmers want to project into the family
model. This confirms their strong attachment to the family. This attachment is not a rejection of
modernity, but rather seems to be part of another form of modernity.
This analysis clearly shows a particularity of family agriculture in the fight against land competition on
the Tunisian coast. It remains primarily organized around the family and can be understood only in the
context of social relations of agricultural production in the area, but must be within the broader non-
farm activities, labor market (employment and unemployment) and the nature of relations city /
country.
Results from this study can be used by the land use planners and policy makers to anticipate and plan
for the future. Land use change models can also generate alternative landscape predictions on the basis
of different land use policies and environmental constraints.
These land use change models use simple parameters including present urban extent, major
transportation routes, topography, and protected lands. Other factors, such as employment
opportunities, land prices, and the farmer’s decisions are considered in this geographic approach. The
primary focus is to account for physical controls on land use and to predict and limit the urban sprawl.
6. Conclusions and Recommendations
This article analyzes the operation, performance and fate of 60 olive farms in the Center and the South
of Tunisian coastline. The results revealed that the activity of agriculture, focused on olives, and
multiple cultures provides low income. It does not represent the only source of living for farmers, most
of which provide the satisfaction of the family and operating requirements through external resources.
Pluriactivity plays indeed a key role in the maintenance and development of agricultural activities.
The olive business is unprofitable. Low productivity of olive plantations, linked to more impact
including drought, senescence, quality soil and lack of maintenance of plantations, affects substantially
the economic profitability of this business.
The typology identifies many disparities between the olive groves. The use of this topology provides
better adaptation of development actions to the specific and a better knowledge of constraints and
needs of farmers.
These actions focus on the technical aspects of the production, marketing, and access to credit and
investment. This will have as a main objective to ensure the technical and economic viability of all
farms. It is therefore imperative to implement a program regional training, information and guidance

8.
www.theinternationaljournal.org
>
RJSSM:
Volume:
06,
Number:
03,
July
2016
Page
130
on driving techniques of dry olives and irrigating when water exists, promotion mode organic
production and management principles agricultural exploitations. This program will cover all farmers
and particularly in threatened areas.
Furthermore, we must increase the funds, simplify access conditions, and review the procedures for
granting, allocation of grants and grant incentives specific. These will enable the farmers of fragile and
threatened areas to have the necessary financial means to redress the situation and provide a incentive
wealthy to farmers who do not have willingness to innovate and develop the olive oil business.
References:
Adolphe L. (2001). A simplified model of urban morphology: application to an analysis of the
environment performance of cities. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 28, 183–200.
Barnsley M. J., & Barr S. L. (2000). Monitoring urban land use by Earth Observation. Surveys in
Geophysics, 21, 269–289.
Boudjenouia A., Fleury A. et Tacherift A., 2008 - L’agriculture périurbaine à Setif (Algérie) : quel
avenir face à la croissance urbaine. Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société, Environnement, n° 12, p. 23-
30.
Chérif A., 2010 - Périurbanisation et agriculture. Deux cas : Tunis et Sfax. In : Mondialisation et
changement urbain. Tunis : Centre de Publication Universitaire de Tunis, p. 121-137.
Prost B., 1991 - Du rural au périurbain : conflit de territoire et requalification de l’espace. Revue de
Géographie de Lyon, vol. 66, n° 2, p. 96-102.
Institut National de la Statistique (INS), 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2014 - Le recensement de la
population.
Ministère de l’Équipement, l’Habitat et de l’Aménagement, 2009 - Plan d’aménagement de la ville de
Mahdia. Tunis : Ministère de l’Équipement, l’Habitat et de l’Aménagement, 125 p.
Kaiser E., Godschalk D., & Chapin S. F. Jr. (1995). Urban Land Use Planning. Urbana, IL: University
of Illinois, 493p.
Weber, C. (2001). Remote sensing data used for urban agglomeration delimitation. In J. P. Donnay, M.
J. Barnsley, & P. A. Longley (Eds.), Remote sensing and urban analysis (pp. 155–167). London and
New York: Taylor and Francis.