Effectiveness of Environment Conservation Projects in Sudan: Case Study of Lower River Atbara Area Development Scheme

Abstract

This study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the environment conservation component on Lower River Atbara Area Development Scheme (ADS/LA), a UNDP/ SUDAN community development project sumption has a maximum limit where a person can not go beyond it. The study site is located in Nahr Elneel State. It is comprised of two localities (Alatbrawi and Seidon) within which fifty-one village councils are located on the two banks of River Atbara. Due to the construction of Khashm Elgirba Dam, in 1964, River Atbara became a seasonal river and that led to environmental degradation and wide spread poverty among the inhabitants of the area because of the shrinkage of cultivable area and the mining of natural vegetation for survival Lower River Atbara Area Development Scheme was launched to create awareness among people of the ills of environmental degradation and to introduce activities that will help conserve the environment and provide people with alternative income- generating opportunities. A conceptual model was employed in this study to assess the effectiveness of the environment component of ADS/LA. The model involves nine variables which are: perceived environmental benefits, perceived economic benefits from ADS/LA activities, adoption of implemented ADS/LA activities, participation in ADS/LA activities, Participation in local committees, awareness about ADS/LA activities, training, Years of formal education and age. A multiple stratified random sampling procedure was employed for selection of twelve village councils representing Alatbrawi and Seidon localities, seventy two respondents were selected randomly ( six from each of selected villages).The sampling frames for selection of the individual respondents were obtained from ADS/LA main office. The sample was designed to represent both sexes. For primary data collection, a comprehensive questionnaire and direct interviewing were used while secondary data were obtained from various resources, including books, reports and documents from ADS/LA main office. The statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) program was used for data analysis and testing of the study hypotheses. Analysis was conducted to generate, descriptive statistics, frequencies, and t.test, correlation and multiple regression coefficients. Data analysis results showed that there are significant differences between Alatbrawi and Seidon localities in relation to the conceptual model variables. Regression analysis revealed that perceived environment conservation benefits are directly related to adoption of ADS/LA environment conservation activities, economic benefits from ADS/LA implemented income generating activities and participation in ADS/LA activities. Thus, the study point to the importance of improvement of environment conservation activities for achieving solid results. Efforts to conserve the environment are to : Establishment of extension units for Conducting environmental education to raise environment awareness among target group. Providing more opportunities for community participation in all project stages. Training in ADS/LA activities. Implementation of income -generating activities. To improve standard of living of people and to reduce dependence on natural resources The study revealed that environment conservation in the study area is significantly related to a number of variables, including principally adoption of DS/LA environmental activities, participation in local committees, and perceived economic benefits from Project activities. To some extent, ADS/LA has succeeded in achieving the objective of increased participation in environment conservation activities by residents of Lower River Atbara communities, especially in Alatbrawi locality