Sudan has a long experience in combating desertification, which is the major environmental challenge in the State, and Sudan was one of the first States to sign and ratify the UNCCD. The process of developing Sudan’s Desertification National Action Plan builds upon not only its commitments under the CCD, but also upon earlier initiatives aiming to address desertification from a purely domestic perspective.
In 1977, Sudan prepared a detailed document – its Desert Encroachment Control and Rehabilitation Programme – which was presented to the UN Conference on Desertification. Following that conference, Sudan established the National Desertification Control and Monitoring Unit (NDDU) in 1978. The NDDU received technical assistance from UNDP/UNSO which enabled it to conduct a series of workshops in five regions of the State, at which desertification was discussed. Drawing upon these experiences and others, Sudan participated in the negotiating process that culminated in the UNCCD.
With technical assistance from the EU in 1993, the NDDU established a Geographic Information System (GIS) and undertook a thorough study of the extent of desertification. For the first time, Sudan was able to quantify the extent of desertification and incipient desertification in the State: 50.5% of the areas between latitudes of 10° and 18° were found to be prone to desertification.
The NDDU also received funds from UNDP/UNSO in 1997 to prepare Sudan’s National Action Plan (NAP). The NDDU embarked on an extensive consultative process in 1998. Facilitators were selected equally from NGOs and governmental institutions to participate in the consultative workshops, which were carried out in 13 of the states affected by desertification. The participants in each state consultative workshop came from local NGOs, farmer and pastoralist unions, women, youth, governmental institutions, projects funded by international organisations, the media, and the private sector. In July 1998, three thematic workshops were conducted at the national level to discuss the national desertification fund, adoption of scientific methodologies, and strengthening trust and coordination among all stakeholders.
In October, a national forum was held in Khartoum where five papers were presented and discussed by 126 participants from the affected states and Federal Government. The papers focused on the following themes: funding mechanism, capacity building and human development, traditional knowledge, programme priorities and coordination and monitoring and evaluation. A parallel effort was carried out by the NGOs National Coordinating Committee for Desertification (NCCD). Following the forum, the NDDU was restructured and renamed the National Drought and Desertification Control Unit (NDDCU). The NDDCU and NCCD coordinated their efforts, especially in the area of raising awareness about the UNCCD.
The Arab Organization for Agricultural Development financed the production of the NAP for Sudan in its 2002 draft form.
For more information, contact Ms. Fathia S. Musa of the National Desertification Control and Monitoring Unit (NDDCU) at fathiasalih@hotmail.com or by telephone at +249 1 83 772023.