Sudan is worst affected by severe droughts, and Sudanese people face various adverse impacts such as hunger and famine, poverty and loss of livelihood. Osman-Elasha et al (2) investigated adaptation to draught in Sudan’s three rural areas including Bara province, Arbaat and El Fashir council. Livelihood of people in these areas is mainly dependent on farming and pastoral activities. According to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) assessment for 2030-2060, changes in precipitation will severely affect agriculture and food security in arid Sudan (Osman-Elasha et al, 3). The people had suffered severely from loss of livelihood during the 1980-84 drought indicating that they are extremely vulnerable to the predicted drought conditions that will occur due to climate change.
Rangeland degradation, recurrent livestock and crop failures already pressurized Sudanese farmers in Bara, who also had to cope with a dust-laden atmosphere. In 1992, a community based rangeland rehabilitation program under the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)/Global environmental facility (GEP) small grants project was implemented. This involved Bara’s local community in various activities such home vegetable gardens, pest control, construction of water wells, windbreak installation, sand dune stabilization, tree and shrub planting (Osman-Elasha et al, 5-7). Goat rearing was substituted with sheep rearing that yielded better profits for the local community, and building practices were also altered to conserve wood (Osman-Elasha et al, 6).
Arbaat area is a hilly region, near to a small water stream. Due to its geographic location most rainfall Arbaat receives is wasted as runoff to red sea (Osman-Elasha et al, 8). The UNDP project helped Arbaat locals plant trees in contours, improve water-harvesting techniques as well as preserve their natural “Salif” tradition that prevents overuse of land and animal resources (Osman-Elasha et al, 9-11). Darfur region was worst affected by the 1983-85 drought. The region was abandoned due to famine, desertification and tribal wars. Darfur locals autonomously adopted adaptation measures such as Trus cultivation in clay soil, Magun cultivation in sand encroached areas as well as shifting vegetation approach (Osman-Elasha et al, 12). Later an NGO helped the locals conserve floodwater through earth dams.
The UNDP support helped increase credit availability for the locals all three regions, find alternative employment, as well as involve local government in making legislative changes. Further, the project funding helped the community improve their adaptation strategies, and thrive in their native lands. Thus, climate change adaptation in Sudan is a typical success story that involved grassroots level, community participation, and local governmental and non-governmental agency’s effective involvement.
Works Cited
Osman-Elasha, Balgis, et al. "Adaptation strategies to increase human resilience against
climate variability and change: Lessons from the arid regions of Sudan." Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change (AIACC) Working Paper 42 (2006). Web. <https://www.issafrica.org/acpst/uploads/Climate change Adaptation arid regions of Sudan.pdf>.
