Social Aspects of Community Forestry in the Semi-arid Zone of the Sudan: A Case of Kosti Province

Abstract

This research is an attempt to study the social aspects of community forestry in Kosti Area through household level investigation. The study was undertaken in Kosti province of White Nile area of Central Sudan in 1996. A social survey was carried out in the study area and respondents were selected through simple random selection. The household was the basic unit of data collection, ten villages were selected. Hundred households were sampled out i.e. ten from each village. Community forestry in the study area is one of the sources to meet the community needs; the per capita consumption of fuel wood is equal 0.8m3 /year. Frequency distribution results indicated that the rural people of Kosti area are aware of forestry and different tree species and their uses. They are well aware of the role of community forestry in protecting the area from desertification. Rural people have positive attitudes towards community forestry. The study emphasized the involvement of the rural population in all aspects of tree growing activities, regarding the role as decisions maker and implementer of community forestry activities.