Determinants and constraints of integrating natural acacias into mechanised rain-fed agricultural schemes Sennar State, Sudan

• Published in: GeoJournal 2015-08, Vol.80 (4), p.555-567
• Main Authors: Fahmi, Mustafa Kamil Mahmoud, Mohamed, Elamin Sanjak, Kanninen, Markku, Luukkanen, Olavi, Kalame, Fobissie Blese, Eltayeb, Abdalla Mirghani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acacia; Agricultural practices; Agricultural production; Agroforestry; Crops; Determinants; Developing countries; Environmental Management; Farmers; Forestry; Forests; Geography; Households; Human Geography; Land degradation; Land tenure; Land use; Land use planning; LDCs; Livestock; Rain; Social Sciences; Soil fertility; Sole cropping; Sorghum; Studies; Sudan; Sustainable development; Trees; Villages
• ISSN: 0343-2521; 1572-9893
• DOI: 10.1007/s10708-014-9563-9

Agroforestry practices in Sudan take on various forms across the country, depending on the arrangement, distribution and integration of trees with agricultural crops and/or livestock. The study aimed to describe and analyse the arrangement of acacia trees with crops on parklands in El Dali and El Mazmum areas in Sennar State, Sudan. Specifically, an attempt was made to identify the determinants of integration of natural acacia trees with crops in mechanised rain-fed agricultural schemes forming agroforestry parklands. Another specific aim was to determine farmers' perceptions about the constraints of adopting such agroforestry practices were also determined. Data was collected using a social survey method, in which 50 % of the total numbers of villages was randomly selected after classification into small, medium and large villages. Moreover, 5 % of the heads of households in the selected villages were interviewed face to face. The number of respondents was 281. Logistic regression model results indicated that the number of household members, the administrative unit, the incentive received from agricultural union and the land size were the main determinants for integrating acacia trees with agricultural crops in mechanised rain-fed agricultural schemes forming the agroforestry parklands. Constraints related to the prevalence of agroforestry practices included the absence of extension services and planting materials, unfavourable tree tenure, the destruction of trees/crops by animals, and the practice of renting land for sole crop cultivation. Several suggestions are given increased adoption of sustainable agroforestry for more production farming. As a priority land tenure and tree tenure issues must be clarified.