Using RapidEye satellite images for the sustainable management of the extension of El Jadida city (Morocco)

The ever-increasing urban extension and the many changes it provokes are the source of many problems both inside and outside the city. To address these issues and manage the city intelligently, one must first assess and map land use changes resulting from urban sprawl. Thus, the main objective of this study was to quantify the urbanisation of El Jadida between 2010 and 2020 to highlight its impact on the environment and make it a smart city. Maps of the spatial distribution of the built-up area were produced based on two high-resolution satellite images (RapidEye). These images were subjected to a series of digital image processing techniques to individualise the built-up areas. The comparison between the two images generated (2010 and 2020), has allowed to deduce that the city of El Jadida has recorded during this period an urban growth of approximately 331 ha, an increase of 17% in 10 years. This comparison also shows that the urban expansion in El Jadida is random and generally to the detriment of agricultural land. Thus, to manage this urban expansion intelligently, it must be directed towards non-agricultural land along the Atlantic coast.