Étude de la dynamique de l'occupation des sols du bassin versant de la rivière Mulet à Roche-à-Bateau, Haïti

Abstract

In Haiti, and in the Mulet river catchment in particular, environmental degradation is a worrying problem. In order to document the evolution of this catchment, we analysed the dynamics of land use over a 40-year period (1979-2019) using reference Landsat satellite images (1979, 1989, 1999, 2009, 2019) and interviews with farmers. The results show that the catchment has undergone considerable changes. Over the entire study period, agro-sylvo-pastoral systems are the only unit to have declined continuously. Savannahs and dense agricultural crops have increased, but not steadily. Finally, rocky outcrops and bare soil have become increasingly widespread. These transformations were caused by economic constraints (collapse in world coffee and cocoa prices), an uncertain political context since 1986, which has prevented the application of environmental protection measures, and a succession of extreme weather events (droughts, storms, hurricanes). The careless cultivation of new plots on often very steep slopes without taking precaution contributes significantly to soil erosion.

Keywords

• land use
• watershed
• degradation
• climate conditions
• Mulet river
• Haiti