Role of the Women’s Forestry Project to Rural Development in Shendi Area (Sudan

Abstract

The northern parts of Sudan experienced the desertification problem since the 1980s. The SOS Sahel International initiated a women’s forestry programme (WFP) to support integrated rural development endeavours in the River Nile State. The main aim of the study was to scrutinize the experience of the WFP through answering the following question: to what extent the project enhanced rural development endeavor in the area? The study was carried out in Shendi and Elmatamma areas during July-August 2013. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data were collected from (12) villages to obtain all required data for the study . The primary data was collected from (100) village women using direct interview through the questionnaire, as well semi-structured interviews were carried out with village extension agents (VEAs), village leaders, and school teachers. Furthermore, focus group discussions were conducted with women in every village, with men in 4 villages, with WFP and FNC staff in Shendi and Elmatamma offices. The secondary data was collected from the (WFP) documents, reports and other relevant publications in Shendi FNC office and SOS Sahel office in Khartoum. The collected data was analyzed deploying the Statistical Package for Social Science(SPSS). The study revealed that women in study areas have a potential to work in forestry and other rural development activities since their traditions were respected. The project opted for the Training of Trainers approach (TOT) as a mean to effective women participation. The small scale and low risk income generating initiative applied was much appreciated by the women and help to consolidate their increased confidence and initiatives. The character of the change brought about was mainly of psychological nature. However, social and to a lesser extent economic impacts were accredited. The school programme faced several constraints. The findings of this study revealed the following results: All respondents (100) received training on home nurseries, tree planting, vegetable productions and improved stoves, while 68% out of them received training in income generating activities. 93% of respondents affirmed that the training courses they involved in were very useful. 51% of respondents admitted that puppet shows was the most effective extension tool for raising all community environmental awareness. 79% of respondents pointed out that they produced and planted forestry, fruits and ornamental species inside their houses. 39% of respondents affirmed that they sell the surplus of seedlings produced to their relative farmers to be planted as windbreaks, and to the women in non- project villages. 85% of respondents admitted that they produced vegetables with the project for home consumption mainly. 74% of respondents affirmed that the project environmental impact reflected in the thousands of trees planted in the project area which reducing wind and dust to some extent and improving the environment in general. 81% of respondents pointed out that the project impact on their social life was reflected in strengthen of relationship between the group members and exchange visits with other groups, forming charity sandouks, forms co-operatives and think of other needed projects to develop the area. 81% of respondents declared that the project benefits them economically as they benefit from vegetables productions, reduction of fuelwood consumption ,uses of tree branches for cooking, while 30% benefits from marketing of spaghetti and surplus of seedlings.

Based on the findings the following recommendations were suggested: *To activate the Women’s Voluntary Forestry Association (WVFA) that was formed by the end of the project and registered with HAC to continue and modernize the activities according to the rural women’s needs and aspirations. * To incorporate a promising income generating activities with the forestry programmes as an objective, thus integrated development programmes are more effective in rural areas and much appreciated and desired by rural women inorder to generalize the benefits and secure development sustainability. * For the school programme to be more effective it needs to be considered as a project on its own right, to which sufficient staff, time and budget are allocated.