Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Land Degradation and Hydrology in a Changing Climate: a Case of Limpopo River Basin in South Africa

One of the most socioeconomically significant transboundary basins in Southern Africa, the Limpopo River Basin (LRB), is under increasing strain from changing land use and land cover (LULC), growing soil degradation, and worsening hydroclimatic extremes. The ecological resilience and hydrological functioning of the basin have been profoundly impacted in recent decades by rapid agricultural development, mining operations, urban growth, and climate-driven environmental changes. In one of the most vulnerable areas of South Africa, protecting water security, guaranteeing sustainable land management, and fostering climate change resilience all depend on an understanding of these processes. This project, titled “ Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Land Degradation and Hydrology in a Changing Climate: A Case of Limpopo River Basin in South Africa”, aimed to generate an evidence-based understanding of the interactions between LULC transitions, land degradation processes, and hydrological responses in two catchment areas of the LRB (i.e., Mokolo and Lephalala River Catchments).