Analyzing Peri-Urbanization and Land-Based Livelihoods in Mankweng, Limpopo (South Africa): A Remote Sensing Approach towards a Strategic Framework for Sustainable Livelihoods

The thesis “Analyzing Peri-Urbanization and Land-Based Livelihoods in Mankweng, Limpopo (South Africa): A Remote Sensing Approach towards a Strategic Framework for Sustainable Livelihoods” examines peri-urban transformation and land-based livelihood dynamics in Mankweng and its surroundings in Limpopo Province, South Africa, using an integrated remote sensing and participatory framework. It combines four components: (1) ground truthing to support the interpretation of very-high-resolution satellite imagery and contextualize land-based livelihood practices; (2) object-based image analysis (OBIA) to classify land use/cover across the peri-urban landscape; (3) derivation of a spatially explicit land-based livelihood typology using landscape metrics; and (4) development of sustainable scenarios and adaptive transformation pathways informed by participatory stakeholder engagement, including women and institutional actors. The spatial analysis is based on 0.3 m WorldView-3 imagery covering 200 km². A multi-level OBIA framework integrates object segmentation with systematic feature extraction and feature selection to enable robust class discrimination across heterogeneous peri-urban land cover. The workflow maps 38 detailed land use/cover classes, revealing pronounced spatial differences across the peri-urban mosaic. The resulting land use/cover map is used to derive landscape metrics that serve as spatial proxies for locally relevant livelihood characteristics. On this basis, the thesis identifies 14 land-based livelihood types that capture variation in land-use intensity, settlement morphology, and livelihood orientation across Mankweng and its environs. Finally, spatial evidence is integrated with stakeholder-identified priorities and actions to formulate pathway-linked scenarios. The resulting adaptive pathway grid bridges system knowledge with participatory inputs to support planning and decision-making for sustainable land-based livelihoods in a rapidly changing former-homeland peri-urban setting.