Extension Communication for Sustainable Rural Development[A Case Study of Um Jawasir Development Project,Northern State Sudan]

Abstract

The Um Jawasir Development Project was established by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Northern State of Sudan, the project was established in 1992 to improve the livelihood conditions of the Hawawir people who were affected by the 1980s drought. The project adopted the participatory approach by the use of extension communication in the study area. This study was conducted to investigate to what extend that the Um Jawasir Development Project has succeeded to attain its prescribed objectives. The study findings indicate that, the project has introduced relevant local institutions (i.e. farmers committee, women committee, youth committee) which assisted in promoting sustainable rural development in the area. It is worth mentioning, that, the extension communication means (i.e. training, workshops, seminar, home to home visit, and group discussion) succeed in mobilizing the beneficiaries to join and participate effectively in the process of development of their communities. In the same respect, the agricultural activities (i.e. land preparation, seeding, weeding, and irrigation, use of fertilizers, tractor operation, farm management, and environmental awareness, animal breeding and laon), and other social services (i.e. provision of clean water, cooking, training of women, and youth, establishment of schools and health unit) introduced by the project create considerable socio-economic transformation in the study area. The study proposed some recommendation including that, emphasis should be laid on social development due to lack of social services in the project area which resulted to cause great instability for the local community, especially families with children at school age. Also lack of health centers which forced the population to move long distance looking for treatment or use local medicines. Thus the community based organization (CBOs) need more support to participate effectively in provision of services and running of schools and health units and other social service. Moreover, the area need the construction of more shelter belt, more supply of improved breeds, involvement of more women, expansion of the project activities and services to cover all the population in the Wadi el Mugaddam. (In the Northern State and North Kordofan State).