Implementing Integrated Land Use Planning: A step-by-step guide for rural areas
PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE: STEP 5
PART 1
Step 5
UNDERTAKE INTEGRATED (BIOPHYSICAL, ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND LEGAL) ANALYSES
5.1. STUDIES TO BE CONSIDERED PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTING LAND USE CHANGES
Step 4 focused on the characterization of the land, land uses, and users. To achieve this, the planning area was divided into units with distinct characteristics shaped by (micro)climatic conditions, soil properties, topographic position, land cover, land use, and management practices by beneficiaries and stakeholders.
Step 5 aims to analyze the implications of land use change for different tracts of land and anticipate the potential impacts of proposed planning interventions on the land, its use, and its users.
The goal is to optimize land use: since land is a valuable resource, it should be allocated to its best possible use(s) while avoiding or minimizing negative impacts. This goal is pursued through ex ante evaluation—foreseeing consequences and impacts before action is taken.
Definition
Ex ante evaluation in land use planning is an assessment aimed at identifying which alternatives are likely to generate benefits or costs from planning interventions. This evaluation may address a single intervention (e.g., land degradation neutrality, water harvesting) or compare multiple alternatives (e.g., different crops, or crops versus other major land uses such as extensive grazing, forestry, nature reserves, etc.) and can be applied at different levels (national, district, local).
Ex ante evaluation seeks to identify the best approach or conceptual solution among possible alternatives at an early stage, when there is maximum opportunity to influence the course of action (Samset et al., 2017).
Key aspects to consider in the evaluation:
- Biophysical land suitability: the productive potential and capacity of the land (soil, climate, topography) to support various land uses and management practices in a sustainable manner (→ section 5.1.1);
- Economic suitability: the extent to which different land uses generate economic benefits or losses (→ section 5.1.2);
- Environmental impact: the potential positive or negative side effects of different land uses on the broader landscape and environment (→ section 5.1.3);
- Social impacts: the effects on livelihoods for different user groups resulting from the planned intervention (→ section 5.1.4);
- Legal analysis: the legislative and regulatory framework conditions under which the proposed land use changes must be implemented (→ section 5.1.5).
The importance and level of detail for each aspect depend on the objective and scale of the planning exercise. For example, a local-level shift to more sustainable land management typically does not require a detailed land suitability evaluation. In contrast, at national level, significant changes affecting agricultural land use necessitate comprehensive economic and environmental analyses. In all cases, a social impact assessment is essential.
Although many evaluation methods require technical expertise, all investigations must be conducted in a participatory manner—at national, district, and local levels. Merely communicating the outcomes of a technical evaluation is not sufficient to create a sense of ownership among those who will implement the land use and management changes and live with the outcomes.
The Land Use Planning Task Force must be fully involved in all technical analyses. Where possible, opportunities should be taken to train government and local staff in the use of technical methodologies.