Community Forestry Strategies in the Sudan With special reference to Gedaref State

Abstract

Community Forestry Strategies in the Sudan (with special reference to Gedaref State)

The expansion of the mechanized farming and the increase of population led to a large-scale destruction in tree cover in Sudan. However, this process is very apparent in Gedaref State. During previous years, numerous efforts and various approaches had been adopted for developing community tree growing in the area. However, these initiatives were not evaluated. This study investigated actual experiences and practices of community forestry in Gedaref State. The overall objective of this study is to look into the initiatives and to analyze the experiences to improve the existing approaches or to introduce new ones in order to enhance people participation in development and management of forest resources. For data collection, a combination of methodological instruments such as reconnaissance survey, structured and semi-structured interviews, snowball sampling techniques, group discussion, observation, literature and archive and ranking and scoring techniques were used. The main findings of the study revealed existence of several models of community forests. Community forestry practiced in the study area constituted fundamental and main source of multiple socio-economic and environmental values to stakeholders. The study also revealed that, the principal stakeholders of community forestry in the area were the local people's categories and FNC. Fuel wood, building materials, grazing, and intangible services constituted main components of the stakeholders' benefits, needs and rights from community forestry in the area. The stakeholders were found to have positive perceptions and attitudes toward tree growing and community forestry in the area. They were successfully engaged in implementation phase of community forestry. The stakeholders suggested that, management of community forestry has to be shared between FNC and local people. The results indicated that, contribution of the stakeholders was in the form of general forest protection, provision of land and seedlings and labor supply. Finally, the study presented recommendations pertinent to enhancement of the community forestry programmes.