Abstract:
The study was conducted in arid zone at Um jawasir project, located in
Merowe locality, Northern State. The objective was to assess the
sustainability of the land use system being introduced on a background of
drifting sand and assess the other possible sustainability issues.
The study was focused on the moving sand in the project area and
constraints of sustainable production. The deposited sand accumulated at the
three project phases at earth embankment was measured. In phase zero
100% of the area was invaded by sand and abandoned. In phase one 35% of
the farm was abandoned due to sand invasion while in phase two 25% of the
farm was covered by sand.
The sand accumulated at earth embankment (1) has increased on the
southern side significantly, 4347m3, in comparison with the northern side,
2662m3. The sand accumulated at earth embankment (2) has increased on
the northern side significantly 6086m3; while at the southern side it was only
1816m3.
The amount of deposited sand on the south side of the earth embankment (1)
was 39 m3/ m length, where at the north side the amount deposited, is 32 m3/
m length. The amount of deposited sand on the south side of the earth
embankment (2) was 21m3/ m length, where at the north side the amount of
deposited were 47m3/ m length.
Sand passing in one year for earth embankment (1) in 1995 was 3m3/m/year
and2m3/m/year for the south and north sides, respectively. Sand passing in
one year for earth embankment (2) in the next year (2000) was 3m3/m/year
and 7m3/m/year for the south and north sides, respectively.
Um jawasir project was facing some constraints in agricultural production.
These problems are; sand which have the highest importance, 48% of the
III
respondents, irrigation with 36% of the respondents, cost about 16% of the
respondents.
