Remote sensing of agriculture change in Oman

Abstract

This paper uses Landsat Multi-Spectral Scanner (MSS) data from 1978 and Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) data from 2000 to assess agriculture change in two test areas of the Batinah coast of Oman. Field work was carried out in 1979 and 2001 in the Khaburah and Sohar regions to support the analysis of the Earth observation data. Unsupervised and supervised classifications are explored to produce maps of environmental change, and from these maps estimates of agriculture area are produced. While there has been substantial and clear agriculture change in the test areas, stimulated by Oman's rapid economic change since 1970, the measurement of these changes presents challenges that are common to many remote sensing investigations of arid and semi-arid regions. The paper identifies the main areas and types of agriculture change in the two test regions.

Acknowledgments

I am grateful for assistance from the Oman Ministry of Water Resources, the University of London Intercollegiate Research Services, University College London and the University of Durham.