Assessment of community forestry activities In Jebel Marra area

Abstract

Assessment of Community Forestry Activities In Jebel Marra Area In Sudan, among the different options of the Forest Polices, there was special emphasis on the role of the forests in environmental protection and the establishment of community, private and institutional forests. In the last decades climate change in the study area induced negative impacts on natural resources, particularly tree cover, represented in environmental degradation. The main objective of this research is to assess the sustainability of community forestry activities in the study area with special emphasis on the measure of risks and obstacles confronting the activities. Moreover, to know how come the activity is able to sustain in the absence of extension services. Two types of data were used in this research, namely; primary and secondary data. The secondary data was obtained from FNC reports and JMRDP reports. The primary data was collected through questionnaire. The main finding of the research was the fact that community forestry (in its different forms) contributes significantly to the economy of the farmers. Farmers prefer exotic tree species (Kafur) at the expense of the indigenous trees due to their high market demand, fast growth and relatively small area needed by a tree compared to that needed by indigenous tree species. Fortunately, the indigenous trees are preferred in the Jubraka and Agroforestry models due to their multipurpose functions. Moreover, the availability of the indigenous trees in the surroundings is not encouraging the farmers to expand their plantation. The main conclusions of the research is that reliance on the exotic trees is merely based on its financial returns irrespective of the scientific management of the private forests. The Forests National Corporation neither encouraging nor motivating the farmers to develop the activities of community forestry, due to the lack of a specialized extension unit. The study arrived to an important recommendation showing the importance of coordination between