‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬
Workshop for the preparation of a national Plan for Environmental Management
in post – conflict Sudan
Range Management and Conservation in Sudan
Prepared by:
Hussein Mustafa Mohamed1
AbdelRahman Mahmoud Hamid2
1Director,
2Head,
Range and Pasture Administration
Ranch Division
1- Summary
The Sudan is endowed by diversified rangelands covering about 40% of the total
area of the country and supply the national herd with 80% of its feed
requirement. These rangelands increase in diversity and composition ranging
from desert and semi – desert in the north through woodland to high savanna/
semi equatorial forests in the south. The semi – desert, low rainfall savanna and
flood region form the major animal production zones.
In addition to provision of cheap animal feed, the rangelands perform other
objectives (duties) such as keeping the environment in equilibrium under proper
management.
The rangelands in Sudan are used in common under different patterns of
utilization ranging from sedentary to semi – nomadic and nomadic systems. This
pattern of utilization has many merits such as it is the suitable way to cope wit
harsh environmental conditions but at the same time has some disadvantages of
which overgrazing is the most prominent.
In the Sudan, animal production in the open rangelands is witnessing many
problems with regard to the resource as well as the institution responsible.
Range and Pasture Administration (RPA) is financially and structurally
handicapped and couldn’t carry the assigned duties in addition to absence of
comprehensive development policies and reliable data. Laws regulating and
organizing range use are also lacking as well as absence of or poor production
and social services directed towards the pastoral sector.
Strengthening and reorganizing range set up should be in the form of
empowering RPA and allocation of the required budget and establishment of
supporting bodies. Rehabilitation of deteriorated rangelands, provision and
proper distribution of watering points, delineation of stock routes, and sedentary
forms of animal production (Ranching, grazing blocks, pastoral villages, range
management exclosures etc) will help much in upgrading the resource and
animal production system and at the same time ensure the sustainability of the
resource and the business. These should be governed by effective legislations,
defined system of land tenure, in addition to scientific research and full
participation of the pastoral communities.
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2- INTRODUCTION
Rangelands in the Sudan estimated to be 97 million hectares (Africover, 2002)
cover about 40% of the total area of the country and.
This vast area encompasses different ecological zones extending from desert
and semi-desert in the north to low and high rainfall savannah to the south that
sustain a livestock population estimated as 134 million heads (Ministry of Animal
Wealth &fisheries, 2004).
The Sudan has great potentials for producing enough animal protein to meet
local needs with a surplus that can be exported and about 80% of the total
requirement of the national herd is provided by the natural rangeland while the
remainder is met through other sources such as agricultural and industrial
byproducts and irrigated fodder.
Various natural and man-made factors have caused deterioration in Sudan's
rangelands at a time when improvement in veterinary services and vaccination of
livestock increased animal population. Consequently deterioration of range
resources was accelerated due to overstocking. Stocking rates are estimated to
have increased four or five fold within the past few decades. Due to the pattern of
rangelands utilization where range resources are used in common, large tracts of
rangelands are subjected to overgrazing and inappropriate time of use. Fire and
cultivation have added to the large scale deterioration of rangelands
consequently short-lived annuals of low environmental and nutritional values now
cover several range sites that were previously dominated by perennials. Much of
the Sudan’s rangelands have not yet reached the stage of irreversible
improvement through natural process of secondary succession.
2-Ecological Characteristics of Rangelands in Sudan:
The natural vegetation of the Sudan is a result of the interaction of climate,
topography, edaphic, and economic factors. It increases in diversity and
composition ranging from desert and semi desert drought resistant, scanty type
of vegetation in the north through woodland Savanna in low and high rainfall
areas, to high savannah / semi equatorial forest in the south. The montane types
of vegetation are confined to limited isolated sites (fig. (1), Management Plan for
Dinder National Park 2004).
The desert in the north is not an important pastoral zone except in seasons of
good rains where the nomads make use of the vegetation that spring out along
the seasonal water courses.
Most of the rangelands are confined to the semi – desert, low rainfall savannah,
and the northern fringes of the high rainfall areas. In the semi- desert the plant
cover is a mixture of grasses and herbaceous plants intermingled with Acacia
trees and shrubs. It represents the main grazing areas for camel and sheep with
pockets where high milk producing types of livestock used to be raised (Foja) but
couldn’t persist the severe droughts of 1984. Two areas of pure grassland form a
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distinct feature of this type rangeland: The Butana plains (grassland on clay) and
Baja area (grassland on sand).
The low rain fall savanna and the flood plain, which encompasses most parts of
Gedarif- Sinnar- Blue Nile- White Nile- Kordofan- Darfur- Upper Nile- Elwohdaand West and East Bahr Elghazal States are the major areas for cattle raising
and forms the main grazing area for cattle owning tribes (e.g. Lahaween, Bani
Amir, Rufa,a, Silaim, Dinka, Nuer, Miseriya, Rizaigat, Taisha etc). It includes the
big irrigated schemes and rain fed mechanized farming is mainly practiced here
(Gezira, Kenana, Rahad, Elsoki, Halfa, Habeila, Almigainis, Umajaja, Gedarif,
Blue Nile). It is also an area where farmers resort to arable cultivation expansion,
a practice that has a hand in the present range deterioration and security
instability. The plant cover is composed of trees, shrubs, grasses and herbs.
Annuals exceed perennials in number except in the southern parts where
perennials and reedy grasses are of considerable number.
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3- Sustainable range management:
Sustainable range management depends on the balance of a wide range of
ecological, political, economic and social influences. Often factors such as
human population pressure and the associated excessive livestock loadings
suppress the productive potential of a grazing area, as indicated by soil,
vegetation and climatic factors. Under these conditions, technical solutions can
not be expected to restore system balance and assure sustainability.
Sustainable range management requires more accurate knowledge of grazing
production systems and a greater participatory role of local people, incorporating
traditional practices and customs. Programmes must emphasize social reforms
that maintain a system where low intensity production, usufruct, kinship
dynamics, cooperation, environmentally friendly practices and nomadism are
maintained.
Sustainable range management aims at:
- Providing, as far as possible, a uniform and year- round supply of herbage for a
maximum number of livestock.
- Utilizing the herbage at a stage which combines good nutrient quality with high
yield.
- Maintaining the pasture in its most productive condition by encouraging its best
species and by promoting as full a ground cover as possible. This will protect the
soil from insolation and the beating action of rainfall, thus preventing run- off and
erosion.
In evolving methods of management which will attempt to achieve these
objectives, consideration must be given to the following factors:
- The influence of seasonal growth and of grazing on the maintenance of
the sward.
- The variation in the composition and feeding value of the herbage with
stage of growth.
- The value of certain trees and shrubs as browse plants.
- The need for bush control.
It is apparent that, in order to achieve the objectives stated above, the following
requirements will have to be met as far as possible:
- Adjustment of stocking rate to carrying capacity, which will usually mean
relatively light stocking well within the average productivity of the pasture.
- Periodic rests from grazing during the critical growth periods.
- Bush control, usually by fire and involving a need for rest before and after
burning.
- Some special provision for dry - season feed.
Generally the land held by pastoral tribes in Susan is owned and grazed
communally. On the other hand, individual or family ownership of livestock is
normal and it is often customary for each owner to aim at keeping as many
animals as possible, irrespective of the quality of the beasts or the availability of
pasture. This is partly because livestock are regarded as wealth, and a man's
social position and prestige depend on the number of stock he has rather than on
money or other possessions. It is also because cattle are needed to fulfill certain
obligations under tribal customs, such as the payment of bride price, which is a
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normal feature of the social life of many pastoral tribes. Large numbers of stock
are also commonly kept as an insurance against years of drought and famine, on
the mistaken assumption that the more cattle a man has the more are likely to
survive a bad year. Little or no attempt is made to cooperate by restricting the
number of stock held by individuals to the number which might reasonably be
expected to survive on the available pasture and water resources. Moreover,
most of the pastoralists are reluctant to sell their livestock and no efforts are
made to organize rotational grazing and resting of pastures. The rainy season
grazing areas are always utilized during the period of active growth while the dry
season areas are grazed late the same time each year and matters are made
worse by the indiscriminate setting of fires to promote a short lived growth. Some
areas, due to lack of water, are underutilized meaning a loss of forage produced
and these stands also hinder the plant growth the next growing season.
The scenario can be summarized as; overgrazing in most of the rainy season
grazing areas, under grazing in areas lacking water during the dry season,
improper utilization combined with disaster practices (burning) in the dry season
grazing areas, improper stocking rates and grazing season.
Many of the rangelands development programmes failed to attain sustainability a
matter that forced the recent paradigm shift in the approach to development
based largely on local people participation. Small scale interventions can also be
practical options for sustainable range management; these in themselves are
unlikely to assure sustainability but may act as catalysts for development towards
greater technical opportunities.
4- Importance and Utilization of Range Resources:
The importance of the range resource in the first place is that it occupies a
considerable area in the different vegetation zones in Sudan keeping them in
ecological balance. In addition it:
- Provides about 80% of cheap natural feed requirement for the national herd.
- Protects the soil and watershed areas against erosion.
- Protects the sides and beds of the water courses and prevents rill and gully
erosion.
- Aids in replenishment of aquifers as it enhances water infiltration.
- A source of biodiversity and plant genetic resources.
- Provides habitat and feed for wildlife (animals, birds and insects).
- Adds to the soil organic matter.
- A source of human food under certain situations (famine, drought etc).
- Absorbs and sequesters carbon dioxide.
- Provides recreational sites.
- Provides fuel and building material.
4-1 Pattern of range utilization:
Till recently, the system of range utilization developed by the pastoralists of the
Sudan was sound and takes in consideration all factors involved with range
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readiness and climatic variations within the habitat they make use of. Many
factors have evolved that lead to drastic changes in range use (e.g. expansion in
crop production to meet the need of increasing population and increase in animal
number). A commonly-shared resource is shared with neighboring tribes while
each tribe owns its grazing lands known as Dar3. Within this system three main
grazing patterns are practiced pivoting around the movement of animal and
Pastoralists. They are:
(i) Sedentary pattern (Agro-pastoralists)
This is where crop production is practiced alongside with animal rearing. In this
system a limited animal movement is practiced between the domain and
surrounding grazing areas where crop residues constitute the main feed in the
dry season. This is mainly practiced by the Nuba of south Kordofan, Shukriya in
Butana and some tribes of eastern Kordofan.
(ii) Semi-nomadic (Transhumance)
In this system part of the family moves with the herd while the other stays in the
Dar homestead to cultivate crops. This is practiced mainly by camel owners in
North Kordofan and Dinka in Southern Sudan and recently some cattle owning
tribes (e.g.Hawazma).
(iii) Nomadic pattern
Is a regular year round movement of herders and their families and herds. This
movement is mainly due to unfavourable environmental factors particularly lack
of water and pasture in the north during the dry season; mud, flies and insects in
the south during the rainy season. Mainly practiced by all cattle owning tribes in
Kordofan, Darfur, Sinnar, Blue Nile, White Nile, Gedarif and………..
The movement of the nomadic pastoralists follows traditional inherited migration
routes that link them between wet and dry season grazing areas. There are three
pastoral group that fall in the nomadic pattern of movement.
(a) Abbala (Camel owners)4
They raise camel and sheep under nomadic & semi nomadic system. The
system is practiced by abbala tribal groups, comprising the camel tribes of
eastern region (Beja, Butana), Northern Kordofan and Northern Darfur. In
western Sudan they move north of the Dar in the rainy season and return in the
hot season. Cool season is spent further in the northern peripheries, as far as
Wadi-Hawer in northern Darfur region and up to Libyan and Chadian borders,
and in Meidob hills & west of Dongala, where the herds depend on Gizu 5 grazing.
In the eastern region the movement revolves around the Red sea Hill series and
3
Mainly used in western Sudan.
is derived from “ibbil” which is camel , hence denoted a camel economy and its related
culture.
4 Abbala
5
Grass growing in desert margins, using dew as water source.
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the plains, along Atbara river and extending beyond the Eritrean and Ethiopian
borders.
(b) Baggara (cattle owners)6
The Baggara tribal groups are mainly cattle and sheep raisers under nomadic &
transhumance systems. They occupy the low rainfall woodland Savanna running
across the central part of the country (south and west Kordofan, south Darfur,
white Nile and Blue Nile and Sinnar States).
By the onset of rains, they move north towards their rainy season grazing at the
northern limits of low rainfall Savanna and when the dry season commences,
they revert back to the dry season grazing at the northern fringes of high rainfall
woodland Savanna and the flood plains in the South.
The movement of Nilotic tribes (Dinka and Nuer) revolves around the flood region
where they spend the rainy season on the high lands, and the dry season on the
banks of White Nile and other rivers in the toich.
(c) Newly introduced patterns
These best examples are; the permanent and seasonal ranching systems (now
practiced in some parts of the low rainfall Savanna), the settlements introduced
by the Western Savannah Development Project, and introduction of animal within
the framework of mechanized areas in the southern peripheries of Butana plain.
4-2 Characteristics of the nomadic land utilization pattern
The present pattern of range utilization is a way to adjust with the prevailing
conditions. This is to avoid mud and flies in the dry grazing areas during wet
season and lack of water and pasture in the wet grazing areas in hot dry season.
Possessing large number of animals is considered an insurance against natural
hazards. In general the advantages and disadvantages of nomadism can be
summarized as:
(a) Advantages:
 Conservation and keeping large animal numbers for future
generation to come.
 Coping with harsh environmental conditions.
 Provision of a form of deferred grazing in the dry season grazing
areas.
 Light grazing that suits annual range type is practiced in the
transitional areas.
(b) Disadvantages
 Land tenure is undefined.
Baggara is derived from “bagar” which is cattle , hence denoted a cattle economy and its related
culture.
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7




The wet season grazing areas are heavily grazed early in the
growing season where most of plants are annuals and at prematurity stage
In the dry grazing season, plants (mostly perennials) are grazed
late when they are coarse, reedy, and of low nutritional value
that entails frequent use of uncontrolled burning (practice by
pastoralists to encourage perennial grass regrowth).
Incapability to use vast areas due to lack of water
Clearance of rangelands for agricultural purposes due to lack of
clear-cut policy and range legislations.
5- Legislation and enforcement of laws:
Laws and legislations that support Range and Pasture Administration (RPA) and
local organizations working in the field of range management and development
are characterized by lack of unity based on clear concept. Regulations related to
land acquisition and ownership and grazing rights are found within Land Laws
while some of the regulations related to range protection are imbedded within
Investment and Forest Laws. Clear policies and legislations that regulate range
use are of essential importance if the resource and combat deviant practices are
to be safe guarded. Many trials have been carried and some to mention are:
5-1 Local orders
Despite the fact that rangelands are shared and livestock moves within different
states and even beyond the international borders, still range use is regulated
through local orders issued by local councils that have the followings in common:
- Defined the rangelands as the communal grazing lands and areas
conserved for grazing use.
- Mainly concerned with prohibition of some illegal practices.
- The executive body is composed of RPAs in the councils and local
administration.
- Many of these orders are inactivated.
5-2 Range Laws Drafts (1982, 1984)
Drafted to the Council of Ministers but did not proceed further.
5-3 Range and Forage Resources Law (1995):
Proceeded up to the Transitional National Assembly (1995) who referred the
draft to the Attorney General for legal editing. In 1996 the Ministry of Agriculture
and Animal Wealth was split into two and a different proposal appeared leading
to a conflict on who has the right on the law ( RPA is part of the ministry of
Agriculture). This caused a stop in the process.
5-4 Forest and Renewable Natural Resources Law (2002):
The Range and Forage Resources Law of1995 was incorporated within the old
Forest law and a new one was issued and endorsed by the National Assembly
and signed by the President. This was meant to govern and regulate the new
corporation which was then under process. For many reasons the Corporation
was not established and accordingly; the part that deals with range resource is
not in effect.
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Due to the absence of clear cut national comprehensive laws, the range
resources are misused and their limits are not decided upon and as a
result
the pastoralists seek grazing outside the normal pattern a matter resulted in
many conflicts between the different land users.
6- Management, Conservation and Protection of range:
All interventions that deal with range management and improvement should be
looked at as one component. Segmentation of the process is a loss of efforts and
money and could aggravate the situation. Execution of the activity at the right
time is important to consider and any delay leads to failure or improper
implementation. Availability of finance is the core factor of these and hence it is
the responsibility of the Government to assure its allocation at the optimum time
and the required amount. Still some Administrative Officers are not
environmentally oriented and to their thinking; once it pours that is all.
The local communities are still recipients and take no step of their own. The
pastoralists are not innovative and expect solutions from outside. They are
conservatives by nature and reluctant to change unless they are forced to. Much
of extension work is needed to ensure their effective participate in activities
intended to improve and conserve range resources. The participation needed
should be in the form of adherence to the set of regulations governing each
activity (e.g. the use of the protected rangelands and seeded sites, the use of fire
to induce regrowth, etc) in addition to physical and financial support.(e.g. fire
lines and exclosures construction, reseeding of degraded areas, delineation of
migration routes etc).
Youth and women in the pastoral sector are much involved in animal raising but
they fail to induce any tangible changes in the on going pattern of animal
husbandry. This is because the literate choose to draw themselves out of the
business.
NGOs working in the field of environment conservation and range management
should give especial consideration to pastoral communities with emphases on
awareness raising towards environment problems.
At the central level, all range programmes should get financed at the right time
and due attention should be given to extension. All fractions of the pastoral
community should be involved in the processes and especial consideration
should be given to seeking other alternatives in animal raising. Pastoralists
should find their chance in formal education incorporating in the curriculum
subjects that address their needs.
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7- Problems
7-1- Institutional
 little attention is paid towards RPA and this is clearly manifested in the lack of
budget needed to implement activities combined with lack of supporting
facilities such as means of transportation and good working habitat.
 Loss in the highly qualified staff in form of migration or quitting to other jobs
due to lack of incentives and marginalization of the role of the administration.
 Lack of sufficient training.
 In spite of the fact that few qualified staff is in service, the Federal system
could not allow for maximum use due to incapability of periodic transference a
process that was in use in the past.
 Although the range resources are shared between many states where
animals move within, the federal system of administration has gone further to
rest range activities on the lower administration units (localities and units).
This has caused range programmes to receive less attention where the
scarce resources are directed towards the most urgent needs. In addition, the
system has resulted in poor communication and coordination between states
and the central administration in Khartoum.
7-2- Legislations:
Lack of laws that organize range management and regulate its use and
protection is considered one of the main problems that hinder development of
this sector. Despite the serious continuous efforts since 1982; still range use is
governed by local orders issued by local councils that carry contradicting rules on
range lands ownership a matter implies reviewing the legal status of land
acquisition and right of use.
7-3- Comprehensive and sectorial policies:
 Lack of clear development policies towards range resources in addition to
sectorial development planning have caused limitation in the development of
the pastoral sector. Nevertheless; in spite of the sociological, economical and
security effects of range programmes they are not a priority in the overall
agricultural policies and developmental programmes at both state and federal
levels.
 Most of the current activities are personal efforts of RPA staff with
organizations engaged in the field.
 Poor or lack of coordination between institutions working in the field of natural
resources and animal wealth due to sectorial planning leading to contradicting
policies.
7-4- Services:
Little or poor social services directed towards the pastoral community (water,
education, man and animal health, marketing, loans, extension etc) and there is
a clear felt contrast in their extend and efficiency. This is because there is no
consideration to the mobile nature of the pastoralists and present land tenure that
implies provision of services in a form different to that in sedentary communities.
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7-5- Statistical Data:
Reliable comprehensive data is one of the prerequisites for proper planning. With
regard to the pastoral sector and the resources there are few, sometimes
contradicting, data to depend on. There is meager information on range
parameters such as plants composition, population structure, production system,
rangelands area and irrigated fodder and the same applies to animal number and
herd structure. Efforts to produce reliable data were carried within sporadic areas
with little coverage. This is mainly because the process is expensive and the
thinking of the decision makers is always directed towards direct returns.
7-6- Social aspect:
Conflicts related to range resources use and the intermingle between range and
cultivated areas has lead to many problems that are clearly manifested in
security instability and inability to make use of many range resources. Abolition of
local administration has also adversely affected the traditional pattern of range
use and inherited traditional knowledge where within that system many problems
felt today could have been solved. This had called for reverting back to the old
system and reaching its glorious past will take much time. Also inability to
mitigate the natural phenomena of drought and famine have lead to a shake
within the social structure of the pastoral community who are forced to migrate
and live in shanty dwellings at the outskirts of big cities and towns.
7-7- The Resource:
Nearly 80% of the rangelands are located within semi- desert and low rainfall
Savanna that are characterized by variable unpredicted rainfall. This coupled
with misuse have magnified the effects of the frequent droughts which are natural
phenomena in these zones. The most serious problems facing the resource
include:
 Uncontrolled seasonal fires.
 Decrease in grazing areas due to desertification.
 Ill distribution of watering points7 leading to animal concentration and hence;
much aggravating the effects of the natural phenomena (droughts).
 Overgrazing especially in wet season grazing areas.
 Shift in botanical composition (dominance of annuals in the rainy season
grazing areas and absence of plant diversity in many of the rainy season
grazing areas).
 Expansion of arable cultivation at the expense of grazing lands has great
effects in the occurrence of many of the problems listed in addition to its
impact on security.
 Disappearance of some valuable range plants (Blepharis edulis in Butana,
Andropogon gayanus in west kordofan, Blepharis lenarrifolia in North
Kordofan, Aritida paposa in North Darfur etc).
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The campaign of thirsty control (1970s) where many bore holes have been drilled in the rangelands,
without considering the proper measures in water distribution, have resulted in misuse of the range due to
high animal concentration.
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 Blockage of livestock migration routes8 depriving animals from valuable
traditional grazing resources leading to conflicts between land users.
 Continuous increase in animal number coupled with low off- takes.
 Unclear vision regarding land tenure.
8- Strengthening and Reorganization of Range set up:
8-1 Institutional:
The nature of the present range use where the pastoralists move between
different states, makes the hosting state(s) reluctant to pay sufficient
consideration and support to range programmes and activities. In addition,
finance of activities has been rested upon localities and even lower
administration units which will direct their meager resources to areas where they
think are of first priority. Accordingly; for effective planning and execution of
range programmes, restructuring RPA through centralization of the administrative
body and finance is the foreseen solution in addition to giving due respect to
supporting facilities such as equipment and working habitat. The other area
needs to be clarified is water provision, which has great effect on range use,
where RPA should be directly involved in the process of sites location and
capacity of the water point.
8-2- The Resource:
Accompanying the current range use and the characteristics of the range
resources, the strategy formulated should consider the following:
 The nomadic and transhumance system, though with some draw backs, could
not be abolished but due to many internal and external factors should not
remain the same. In many grazing areas, rehabilitation of the degraded areas
is highly needed. In the rainy season grazing areas reseeding in addition to
protection is of need while in the dry season grazings seeding should be
accompanied with management and adoption of sound techniques of fire use.
This should be through the use of adapted valuable range plants that secure
diversity and supply good feed especially in the dry season when the nutritive
value of most plants drops sharply.
 Wise distribution of watering points as it will allow utilizing range areas that
are used for a short time due to lack of water (estimated as 20% of the total
range area of South Kordofan State).
 Rehabilitating and securing the stock routes will make available large areas,
reduces incidence of conflicts, and allow for services provision.
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The movements of pastoralists were up to late 1940s limited to the tribal lands (Dar) for most nomadic
groups. With interplay of factors, such as increase in animal number, prevelance of security in the country
side, provision of water sources, expansion of other agricultural systems, general resource degradation etc
most tribal groups began to seek grazing resources outside their recognized tribal territories with the local
administration play a great role in regulating these movements.
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 Adoption of the old system of range exclosures and conserved range sites
that will act as a safe guard against droughts and feed shortage and as a yard
stick to monitor succession and range condition and trend .
 Sedentary form within the nomadic system should be adopted in the Savanna
region and this could be achieved through wise planning towards ranching
development. This had practically proved to be superior to traditional system
(experaments carried by Western Sudan Research Corporation – Kadogli).
 Development and introduction of grazing blocks needs a brave step from the
side of the Government if we are to modernize the system of animal
husbandry in the semi desert where camel and sheep constitute the main
animals raised.
 The sedentary system could be more strengthened through introduction of
unfenced protected areas around villages and prohibition of arable farming
beyond latitude 140 N which should be solely devoted to animal raising.
 Pilot pastoral village(s) where sheep will be exchanged for each cultivated
area devoted to range and the cut out areas will be seeded by selected range
seeds. Private cultivation areas will be reduced and hence; reduce the
incidence of desertification. Sheep will be revolved and a certain attention will
be given to women and poor segments of the community. This is mainly
meant to develop practical rangeland management and improvement
techniques for semi-desert zone.
 There are some especial areas such as Butana and Baja where integrated
resource management that focuses mainly on animal production could be the
most suitable intervention.
 When planning for big schemes (Irrigated or rain fed) consideration should be
given to integrating animal within them. In the existing irrigated schemes
fodder crops can be incorporated in the rotation and hence; tackle the
problem of securing feed for animals in these schemes and diversify farmer's
income.
 Ranching can be adopted in the abandoned mechanized schemes while
incorporating fodder crops in the rotation of the functioning ones can help
improve soil fertility and provide additional source of income.
 Baling of range plants is another technique that can be carried to mitigate
drought and provide feed at time of scarcity.
8-3 Policies and Legislations:
Adoption of policies directed towards the pastoral sector is not considered as a
genuine component of the general agricultural policies which are mainly directed
towards irrigated agriculture and mechanized farming (Arab Organization for
Agric. Development,(AOAD) 1996). There is an urgent need to plan and adopt a
comprehensive policy that pin points the fate of natural resources protection
programmes and cut clear on their developmental plans with guidelines on
investment and ways to achieve that based on sustainability of the resource and
integration between different uses.
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Gamar El Dien (1996) referred the failure in range programmes to many reasons:
 As there is an indirect outcome, the allocation of the required budget always
comes after difficulties.
 The planners always revert to easy equations to avoid difficulties in
understanding the pastoral communities.
 The fallacy of planners towards the pastoralists and duly; many development
programmes escape them though they are endowed by a considerable
degree of knowledge and wisdom.
 Most of the interventions are designed on the bases of sedentary
communities.
The development of pastoralism requires among others, the development of
sufficient laws that take in consideration the indigenous norms and values and
the traditional systems of range management and conservation in addition to the
vision of the local communities and their traditional institutions and the role they
could play. The present laws are embedding many drawbacks such as:
 Absence of unified federal law.
 Absence of integration or coordination where laws are issued individually for
each resource.
 Absence of laws that protect the pastoralists and scarcity or absence of rules
to regulate range use and protect rangelands against advance of arable
cultivation.
The proposed laws should seek remedies to the following:
 Protection of the natural and conserved rangelands.
 Delineation of the rangelands boundary.
 Conservation of the range plants genetic resources in the different vegetation
zones.
 Arrangement and organization of ranching system.
 State infringements and decide upon penalties.
 Establishment of an efficient institutional framework that shoulders the
application of law.
In order that laws be effective and meet the objectives they are set for, effective
participation of the pastoralists in the enforcement of law through their traditional
institutions is of vital importance.
8-4 Land Tenure:
 Development of a land acquisition system that encourages the pastoralists to
participate in all programmes of range rehabilitation, development, and
management.
 Delineation of the rangelands and protection measures against violation.
 Acknowledging the right of the pastoralists and legalization of the stock routes
and their protection.
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8-5 Community Participation
The role that could be played by the local communities should include the
following (AOAD, 1996):
 Activation of legislations and local orders that organize range use.
 Extension programmes to raise awareness of the local inhabitants on the
importance of the natural resources and outcomes of proper use and
management.
 Improving the practical skills of people and widening their scope on the
rationalization of the resource use.
8-6 Scientific Research
The improvement of the traditional systems of animal raising should be based on
scientific information that give adequate consideration to natural resources. The
role of scientific research in improving the pastoral habitats is extremely limited
where most of the researches carried did not have a tangible feedback in the
pastoralists life and the systems of animal husbandry as much of the work is
directed towards irrigated fodder. Much work is needed in the field of natural
range as it constitutes the backbone of animal production in the country.
9- Recommendations
 Provision of the sufficient support for RPA, which suffers marginalization and
weakness, to carry its stated role in development and improvement of the
range resources. This should include centralization of the administration and
allocation of the required finance at the right time and amount and upgrading
the skills of the working staff.
 Establishment of a National Range Council that works as a consultation body
in formulating guidelines for range improvement and development
programmes.
 Establishment of a Range Research Centre within ARC to give due
considerations to researches on natural rangelands.
 More care should be directed to range extension through provision of needed
extension equipment and materials.
 Development of a clear comprehensive range management strategy.
 Production of a unified range and forage resources law.
 Close down the rapid expansion of arable cultivation in marginal lands and
delineation of rangelands boundaries.
 Participation of the local inhabitants as a fundamental element in planning,
implementation and evaluation of range improvement and rehabilitation
programmes.
 The curriculum of colleges of natural resources should be linked with the
exact situation in the field and post graduate studies should focus on range
problems.
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References
1. AOAD, 1966, A study in evaluation of polices and methodologies in
range resources investment.
2. AOAD, 1966, A study in A study in A study in Natural resources
conservation and development in Baja Area white Nile, Sudan.
3. C.C. Webster and P.N. Wilson, Agriculture in the Tropics, 2 nd
edition.
4. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper, 162, Grassland
resource assessment for pastoral systems.
5. Harrison, M.N and Jackson, J.K, 1958, Ecological classification of
the vegetation of the Sudan , Forest bulletin Vol.2.
6. HCNR.2004 Management plan for Dinder National Park.
7. Hussien Mustafa and others, 2000, Range management and
improvement manual, Dryland Husbandry project.
8. Mahgoub .G. Zaroug, 1966, the pastoral sector: current situation
and development prospect, Agricultural conference.
9. Range and Pasture Administration reports.
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