TITLE:
When Coconut Trees Die: Spatio-Temporal Land-Use Dynamics on Grand-Lahou Island, Côte d’Ivoire
AUTHORS:
Kouame Jean-Marc Kouman, Akoua Tamia Madeleine Kouakou, Koua Serge Beranger N’goran, Bi Bedel Mondesire Dilo, Yao Sadaiou Sabas Barima, Marie-Solange Tiébré
KEYWORDS:
Lethal Yellowing Disease, Dynamics, Land-Use, Coconut Plantations, Grand-Lahou Island
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Remote Sensing,
Vol.14 No.4,
December
12,
2025
ABSTRACT: In Côte d’Ivoire, coconut cultivation represents both a major cash crop and an important source of subsistence for rural communities. However, coconut plantations are increasingly threatened by Lethal Yellowing Disease, which has destroyed large areas of coconut trees and profoundly altered land-use patterns on Grand-Lahou Island. This study aims to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of land-use on the island from 1990 to 2025. The methodological approach combined digital processing of multi-temporal Landsat satellite images acquired in 1990, 2000, 2016, and 2025. Image classification and change detection techniques were used to quantify land-use transitions over time. The results reveal an increase in coconut plantation area between 1990 and 2000, followed by a sharp decline between 2000 and 2025, mainly due to the impact of Lethal Yellowing Disease. A significant conversion of coconut plantations into food crop areas was observed, with 43.91% of former coconut lands transformed between 2016 and 2025. These findings illustrate the severe consequences of Lethal Yellowing Disease on the local economy and landscape structure. To mitigate further losses, the establishment of an early detection system using drone imagery is recommended to identify infected coconut trees and help contain the spread of the disease.