Combating Desertification in Sudan: Experiences and lessons learned

Sarra A.M.Saad*; Adil M.A.Seedahmed**; Allam Ahmed***;

Sufyan.A.M.Ossman****; Ahmed M.A.Eldoma*****

*National Center for Research. Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research, Khartoum-Sudan ** Ministry of Agric. Khartoum-Sudan

*** University of Sussex, UK **** Ministry of Oil, Khartoum-Sudan

***** Sudan University of Science & Technology, Khartoum-Sudan

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Introduction • Sudan is the largest (2.5 million km2) country most seriously affected by

desertification in Africa. The arid and semi-arid lands cover an area of 1.78 million km2, which represents about 72% of the country’s total area .

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https://www.worldatlas.com/img/areamap/ac5774c092e712bff2a8b1503f344272.gif

http://www.google.com &revised by the authors

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Problem Statement • Desertification in Sudan is regarded as the

first environmental threat that affects sustainable development and human lives.

• Natural disasters in the contrasting forms

of drought and flooding have historically occurred frequently in Sudan; they have contributed significantly to population displacement, poverty, diseases and the under-development of the country. A silent and even greater disaster is the ongoing process of desertification, driven by climate change, drought, and the impact of human activities.

• Desertification and land degradation are

among the central problems for the sustainable development of the dry land ecosystem, especially in the case of Sudan Recurring droughts and land degradation are closely linked. Drought increases soil degradation, which, in turn, magnifies the impact of drought (Abdi et al., 2013). 4/12/2018

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Nyala Metrology Station, average annual temperatures

Increase in annual temperature also recorded in many metrological stations in Sudan through out last years

• Overall, rainfall is becoming increasingly scarce and/or unreliable in Sudan’s Sahel belt: this trend is likely to continue. On this basis alone, large tracts of the Sahel will be severely impacted by declining food productivity over the next generation and beyond.

• Droughts and insufficient rainfall are characteristic of western Sudanese territories, primarily in North Darfur and Kordofan. Over the past hundred years there have been five periods of prolonged drought in the region. Two of them have happened in the last twenty years. In these areas the average precipitation ranges from 100 to 600 mm per year, which, with its lower limit, poses a high probability of serious adverse consequences in the agricultural and livestock sectors.

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Desertification in Darfur

• The rainfall in 1950-1990 caused three long periods of drought:

1. in the mid-sixties and was relatively light.

2. between 1972 and 1975, was relatively heavy,

3. in 1982-1984 was almost a catastrophe.

This period of drought was accompanied by the outbreak of armed clashes. The most severe and intense of these clashes occurred in the mid-1980s. Over time, those skirmishes turned into a full-scale warfare (Suliman, 2008). The graph below shows the relationship between rainfall and conflicts erupting in this area over 40 years (1950-1990). The chart shows a trend – a correlation between droughts and occurrence of armed conflicts.

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Correlation between rainfall and conflict in North Darfur (1950-1990)

Source: M. Suliman, Darfur, Resource War and Identity War, Academic Press, Cambridge 2004

Reviewing challenges to combat desertification in Sudan (Seedahmed 2017)

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Year Action Remarks

1944 Report of Conservation Committee Soil degradation and desertification was mainly due to the misuse of land resources rather than as a result of climate change

1972-1976 the National Committee for Combating Drought and Desertification

Preparation of studies and solutions to the problems of desertification and drought.

1979 The Ministry of Agriculture was assigned a part-time coordinator to follow up desertification control projects

-The National Bureau for Drought Control and Desertification was established under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture under the administrative supervision of the Minister of State for Agriculture. -A decision was taken to form a Permanent Council for Desertification

1980 The Sudano Sahelian Office (UNDP) provided technical and financial support.

-Designated as the Office for the Coordination of Desertification Programs. -hold four regional workshops to raise awareness and to consult on the phenomenon of desertification, and how to address these problems

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Year Action Remarks

1986 established the Relief and Reconstruction Commission that was affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture

External funding was suspended due to a conflict of competencies

1988 the Council of Ministers decided to establish a central ministry for refugee and relief affairs, and included in its structure an administration to combat desertification.

After strenuous attempts, the two ministries were disbanded in connection with desertification, which was reintroduced to the Ministry of Agriculture.

1991 establishment of the Drought and Desertification Coordination Unit (NDDU)

confirmed the subordination of the unit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock at the time, under the direct supervision of the Minister of Agriculture.

1993 establishment of the first GIS unit in Sudan Technical support from the European Union

2001 AOAD asked the Minister of Agriculture to commission two national recruits to draft the NAP document

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Year Action Remarks

2002 National Action Program was prepared

submitted it to the Secretariat of the International Convention to Combat Desertification in the form of a draft in Arabic

2009 the Desertification Law was provided for the establishment of a national council under the auspices of the President of the Republic.

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2015 Presidential Decree No. (32) the task of combatting desertification became the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Urban Development

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Year Action Remarks

2016 A Secretary General of the National Council to Combat Desertification was appointed

1. formulate policies, plans and propose legislation 2. to develop a long-term national program of action for the optimal and balanced use of land and natural resources. 3. developing human resources etc.

2017 Presidential Decree No. 21 the National Council for Combating Desertification was included in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Urban Development.

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ARS

8.3km

The next step?

Location of AlRwakeeb Research Station (ARS), MoawiaY.Babiker, 2016

Elyias et. al. (2012)

Concluding Remarks

• Serious attempts were made many years ago to formulate regulations and legislations, and to coordinate with international and regional agreements. Despite these efforts, desertification is still defined as the major threat to sustainable development and human lives.

• Many conclusions and lessons emerged from the previous experiences of government, NGOs, civil society and private sectors in implementing desertification programs in Sudan.

• The analytical review of Sudan desertification policies showed a lack of the intersect oral approach that integrates forestry activities and land use into the social, economic and developmental process of the country.

• They also lacked linkages to other sectors that use and actually compete for the available natural resources.

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Therefore; • Fast action should be

implemented to stop sand movement and improve soil quality. This is in addition to the interpretation of research results that deal with modeling and drought control or we go back to the forests!.

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“Ruins under the Sand or Back to the Forest”.Ahmed Mohamed Saad (1996)

Thank You

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ENDRI 2017