Methodology of Land Use Priorities and Conflicts Study

Abstract

Studies based on land uses are essential in order to carry forward development-oriented studies in any part of the world. Land use denotes how land is utilized to provide things and services. The land use of an area will not remain the same throughout all times. Changes will keep on occurring in land use from time to time on the basis of quantities and acreage. Change in land use is only an outcome of the interaction between man and environment. As rapid developmental activities are going on, following resettlements in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, changes are also taking place also in land use. Since too many changes are occurring within a short period, it becomes necessary to find out the priorities and controversial issues therein. Thus, the object of this study is to find out the priorities and conflicts in the land use found along selected river basins (Kanagarayanaru, Peraru and Paliaru) in Northern Sri Lanka. Primary and secondary data have been obtained for this study. Geographical Information System in addition to polymorphic analysis method has also been used to co-ordinate and evaluate the agricultural, settlement and environmental priorities. It is important to calculate the weightage for the classes of factors that influence the co-ordination of agricultural, settlement and environmental priorities, using the process of step-by-step analysis. Saaty’s (Saaty and Vargas, 1991) comparative scale has been used for the process of step-by-step analysis. Pairwise comparison system has been used to evaluate the weighing of factors and thereby land use priorities and conflicts have been calculated. Weighting values were issued to 104 gramasevaka divisions and by overlaying weightage the areas for the co-ordination of agricultural, settlement and environmental priorities have been ascertained. By overlaying these priority maps, conflicting land uses have been identified. Conflicts arise particularly in areas where land uses do not suitably tally with the physical environment and also due to the unplanned land use activities undertaken by the peasants. Thus, it has been possible to identify the conflicts in land use through the study of land use priorities. This study has thus helped to identify land use priorities and conflicts, and it is hoped that it will serve as a guide for further studies undertaken in the river basins of Northern Sri Lanka as well as in other river basins in the future.