Abstract:
The study was conducted in Gaderif State in Eastern Sudan. The objective was to investigate the prevailing forest policies and laws in response to sustainable forest management. Participatory methods of data collection were used included observations, interviews, personal contact, group discussion, and questionnaires. The secondary data was collected from reports, books and scientific journals. Data collected covered information variables related of local communities to socio economic characters, utilization and interaction of forest resources and awareness of local communities of forest laws. Questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information from the sample of 150 households, randomly chosen from three villages around the three forests namely; Elrawashda, Darelzain and Sarf Saaed well involving concerned bodies. Personal contacts and semi structured interviews were carried out with experts and professionals related to forest policy and laws in the natural resources institutions, legislative institutions and non Government Organizations. Additionally a semi-structured questionnaire survey was completed by interviewing 30 experts and professionals to analyze polices and laws and their roles in achieving sustainable forest management in addition to the coordination of polices and laws with other natural resources policies. The collected data were processed and analyzed using SPSS software version 16.
Results of the study revealed that there is a weak participation of local people in forest protection and conservation. The study also showed that improper land use and transformation of forest land by mechanized farming increased deforestation. This is due to lack of coordination between bodies involved in natural resources management. Results revealed that some
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difficulties prevent the implementation of the forest laws included low awareness about forests importance and forest laws. Although Sudan government is committed to the international conventions, still lack of funding and coordination between the different responsible authorities existing.
The study recommended that stakeholders and other land users should participate in the policy formulation and development process. Moreover, policy formulation should be based on accurate data base; appropriate policy implementation tools; coordination of efforts for policy formulation. Therefore the study recommended that an overarching body will need to be involved in coordination and mobilization of developing policies and laws of natural resources. It is also study recommended of that natural resources related bodies to adopt formation of forum and raise dialogues towards to bringing up policy issues agenda and sensitize decision makers toward supporting natural resources policies.
