Land use and land cover dynamics and the associated drivers in the Volta Delta, Ghana

Abstract

Knowledge of the drivers of land use and land cover change (LULCC) is critical for explaining and managing change, yet, this has received a limited research focus. We analysed LULCC and associated drivers in the Volta Delta using geoinformation technologies and multinomial logistic regression based on 2002 and 2017 Landsat data. Explanatory factors considered were elevation, slope, population density, distance to road, distance to settlement, annual rainfall, and crop yield. Results showed 2.82% net gain in active croplands. Water and riverine vegetation experienced net increases of about 1.00% each. Grass savannah, mangrove, shrub savannah and thicket experienced net losses. Low-lying and highly accessible areas experienced intensified agricultural activity, whereas elevated terrains with sparse road networks retained more natural vegetation. These results highlight the strong influence of accessibility, geomorphology and human activity on land transformation in the Volta Delta. The study demonstrates that integrating multisource spatial data with statistical modeling provides an effective framework for quantifying and explaining LULCC dynamics. The findings have important implications for land-use policy, environmental monitoring and adaptive resource management. Strengthening participatory spatial planning, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and integrating elevation and flood risk mapping into policy frameworks areessential for balancing agricultural productivity with ecological conservation in deltaic landscapes.