Assessing the conversion between agricultural and built-up area in the Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin

Abstract

The conversion of agricultural land into developed infrastructure entails trade-offs. Therefore, studying the dynamics of change between agriculture and developed areas is essential. This study utilizes remote sensing technology to study this dynamic. In particular, satellite images were utilized to assess the current land use master plan for the period of 2011-2020 in the Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin, Vietnam. Land cover before and after implementation of the land use master plan was classified using three indices of the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI). Two main land cover types of paddy rice cultivation area and developed area were compared for the two time periods. The land cover classification results revealed that the land use master plan in the river basin has achieved its conversion target four years ahead of schedule. Additionally, the changes were thoroughly assessed within the context of socioeconomic development in the river basin. Land cover changes in the river basin created five major implications for policymakers, including the need to reassess the land use master plan target, the need for regulatory measures in housing development, the true nature of the paddy rice conversion mechanism, the irreversible nature of agriculture land conversion, and market conditions for newer agricultural products.