Assessment of Sheep Producers Awareness and its Role on Sustainable Development and Increased Productivity and Production in North Kordofan States, Sudan

Abstract

The objective of the study is to assess the role of the producers’ awareness on sheep productivity, production and sustainability and to assess the effect of the livestock programs and projects on the producer development. A study was conducted in North and West Kordofan States during the period 2013 – 2015 in five localities; Sheikan and Sodari in North Kordofan State, Elkhoei, ElNuhood and Gebaish in West Kordofan State, the study Targeted the sheep producers as 90% of the live animal Sudan exports are sheep of which 26.5% come from Kordofan States. A stratified random sample of 234 producers from the five localities was selected. The data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The data analysis comprised descriptive statistical analysis indicators including the Chi-Square test for data. The results showed that the majority of the producers, about 85.2%, follow the traditional open grazing system with no statistical difference (P > 0.05) between the localities. The animal production systems for sheep are variable nomadic, semi sedentary and sedentary at 60.4%. The majority showed a herd size ranges of between 50 to 200 heads and the herd structure are inconsistent; animals raised mostly building up the stock initially and secondary for production. No records either on the herds are kept or on the production. Birth giving is not economical, about of 88.1% of the ewes give birth once per annum with very low or no twinning in majority of herds. About 84% depend on natural open grazing as the main feed source for sheep. For animal treatment 84.2% depend on themselves and only 54.9% vaccinate their animals but irregularly. The study showed that few, 53 %, of the producers go for productivity improvement as most of them rely on personal experience and friends or neighbors experience. Some 24.4% rely on nutrition betterment for improving productivity by increasing grazing rate and 50.9% accept genetic improvement iii for increasing productivity but they lack the know-how and facilities. 88.5% sell live animals when in cash need and in the local markets with no statistical difference (P > 0.05) between the localities. Producers do not practice transformation industries which makes them loose the added value. For risk aversion 86% of the producers do not go for animal insurance. The results showed the low number of producer societies or unions or their ineffectiveness as 80.3% do not group or participate in any. 80.4% of the producers stated that the animal resources programs or projects executed in the study area did reflect any effect in their improvement. 87.6% of them declared that they were never involved or headed to or participated in such programs or projects. 42.3% of the producers stated that none of such programs or projects was executed in their areas. From the above results, the study concludes that the economic awareness of the sheep producers in Kordofan States is not up to a sound level, which lead to intangible benefits to the producers as relates to the methods and means of production improvement at their geographical domains with their fewness, in addition to the limited or meager effect of the executed programs or projects in the study area on raising the awareness or producers development. This necessitates involvement of the producers in the redevelopment programs intended to elevate their economic awareness towards economic production and vision for sheep rising. This also demands elevating educational apprenticeship levels and culture to make them accept new development ideas and modern technology for adoption and spreading of sustainable development.