Assessing the Role of Forests in Improving Livelihoods and Poverty Alleviation of Rural Communities in Eldamazin Locality- Blue Nile State – Sudan

Abstract

This study was conducted at Eldisa forest in Eldamazin locality at Blue Nile State-Sudan. Theaim of this study was to assess the Role of forests in improving of livelihood and Poverty alleviation of rural communities. The data collection depends mainly on the primary data which includes general survey and observations to the study area. Three villages namely (Goney, Elbangadeed, and El disa) were selected randomly from the total villages around the forest. Total of 90 household were selected as sample size from these villages which constituted about 5%. The questionnaire was design to collect the information's from the household in order to achieve the objectives of this study. Beside these, focus groups discussion was conducted with stakeholder and chick list with forest manager at the state level. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 18 and descriptive statistical methods were applied .The majority of Households (67.8%) were dependents on forest mainly in providing the basic needs of people such as charcoal, firewood collection, opportunities of work inside the forest, producing honeybee and fodder for animals. And also majority of respondent 72.2% mention that forest managers in study area provided different extension massage throughout production of seedling in home nurseries and distribution of those seedling, which reflected a great awareness among the rural people about the importance of trees in their life. The result also indicates that about 46.7% of respondent describe that the forest contributed directly to their life through representing as the source of income for poor family in surrounding villages. The study recommended that local people should be encourage to participate in forest management lead to sustain production of forest and reduce the pressure of people to depend on natural forest, then alternatives source of energy and income generating should be introduce in the study area to reduce the consumption of wood and charcoal.