Socio-Economic Evaluation Of Agro-Pastoral Communities Welfare In Khartoum State

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the natural resources status in the permanent grazing lands areas and the effect of that on the livestock and agricultural production, and the improvement of the welfare of the agro-pastoralist communities in Khartoum State. The study depended on primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected through a field survey. The sample covered about 100 of the villagers, and a random concept was applied over 5 villages’ inhabitants within the Eastern Nile Province. Also, descriptive statistics and cross tabulation were applied to achieve the study objectives. The study found that the communities of agro- pastoralist are poor, deprived from modern infrastructure and depends mainly on subsistence economy. It was found that Livestock and crop production were the major economic activity practiced by the inhabitant in the study area. For the animal wealth, about 95% of the respondents had different types of livestock including cattle, sheep, goats and camels, the goats population is the highest number of animal owned by the villagers followed by sheep and lastly cattle. It was also found that about 78% of the villages inhabitants cultivates sorghum. They harvested the grain for their in-house consumption and the stems for feeding their livestock. There was variation in the size of the cultivable areas as well as their production level due to the metrological variations, lack of using improved or treated seeds and the lack of using mechanized equipment. The study found that 79% of the villagers depend for their livestock feeding on the natural pasture as it is considered the main source of the nutrition, supported by the expensive forage concentrates as well as the agricultural residues. About 51% of the villagers stated that even with high rates of rainfall seasons, the grass would remain only between 2 – 4 months. However, it was found that the majority of the villagers did not migrate away from their villages in pursue of more grazing lands. This trend of localized grazing accompanied by a relatively constant increase in the number of animals plus the fluctuation in rain fall rates had been the main cases of over grazing phenomenon in the Eastern Nile Province in Khartoum State. The study recommended for the rehabilitation of the rangelands through the cultivation of climatically adaptable forage plants along with soil treatment and increasing the yield of the irrigated forages projects using genetically improved seeds aiming availing cheaper forage concentrate. It is also recommended for the caretaking of livestock health by upgrading the nutrition of the feeding sources, improving genetic quality of animals and availing adequate veterinary services at the grazing fields to treat and control the diseases with regular awareness campaigns among the villagers. The study also recommended for the improvement of the agriculture methods by introducing the modern inputs, supplementary irrigation and intermediate technology.