Social and Environmental Evaluation of the FINNIDA Project in Khartoum area, Sudan

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluation of Finland project in Khartoum area as the main target of the study. The Finland project worked in collaboration with farmers to develop farm forestry in Khartoum State. The project succeeded in awareness raising among farmers concerning farms windbreaks establishment in Khartoum state. A target group of farmers from Khartoum, Omdurman, Khartoum North and \\\\\\\"Sharge Elneel\\\\\\\" provinces were selected for the research. The main objectives of the study were concerned with the project achievements and the compatibility of its programmes and activities with the needs of the study area related to environmental, social and economical aspects in addition to the main constraints faced by the project in the study area. A questionnaire was designed to investigate these aspects. The study indicated the importance of forestry extension in raising awareness about environmental problems in the study area, and the importance of on-farm tree planting in increasing agricultural crops productivity. Most of land owners in the study area were willing to contribute to projects activities concerning forestry and environment activities, to facilitate their farms protection. In spite of the success of the project in achieving farmers\\\\\\\' adoption to tree planting, the activities were not sustainable. The project did not train farmers to raise their own seedlings. As a result discontinuity in raising and transplanting seedlings when the project terminated. Moreover, with the phase-out of the project, the financing of project activities ceased and accordingly seedlings production, extension and monitoring and evaluation of the project activities stopped. To ensure sustainability of projects activities, high partnership should be adopted, based on suitable measures and technologies and training of land owners so that the project activities and objectives should be continued after the projects phase-out.