Role of Community Participation in Rehabilitation of the Gum Belt Case study Gadarif State -Sudan

Abstract

Sudan produces and exports the Gum Arabic. Acacia senegal tree found in the Sudan in form of belt known as gum Arabic belt, extends between latitudes 14o - 10o degrees North. The study carried out in Gadarif State, which lies within the area of Gum Arabic belt of Sudan. The over all objective of the study is to investigate widely community participation in rehabilitation activities of the Gum belt in Gadarif State. Methods of research used are: social survey, Questionnaire, previous studies and archive. Also interviews and observations. The research population consisted of farmers settled around reserved forests, gum gardens owners and farmers plant hashab trees and produce gum in their farms, the 10% as shelter belts. The research showed that, most of gum producers were elder, their level of education ranged between khalwa and university. The study revealed that, women participation in rehabilitation activities of the Gum belt Gadarif State, observed to be low. People in the study area stated that, the expansion of demarcated agricultural schemes, cutting down hashab trees for charcoal, building materials and grazing the small trees, considered as main problems facing the rehabilitation of the gum belt, In addition to shortage of services of production and suitable price. The results showed that, 50% of gum producers their annual production ranged between 200-500 /kg, which considered as small amount of production. The study area population has benefited from forest extension programs executed in the area, such as, meeting, lectures, distribution of seeds and Seedlings, tree planting and training. The study recommended that extension should be done to small farmers and women to participate in rehabilitation of belt gum and execute the laws, forest policy, research programs, forest management and introduces new methods for planting Hashab trees to increase the production. Also plan to increase the area of gum forests, especially in the vast area of 10% of planned farms, which can reach (800) thousand feddan.