Grant no. 650-0064-G-00-3006, Eastern refugee reforestation project between AID and CARE

Two 5-feddan central nurseries will be established, in Showak and Abu Rakham, to provide seedlings for plantation efforts and serve as centers for extension activities. Production of seedlings (ca. 3 million overall) will be phased according to the requirements for the diverse types of plantations envisioned under the project. Production for woodlots will be emphasized initially, and as extension efforts gain momentum, production for agroforestry will be increased accordingly. In all, the project will bring some 10,000 feddans under cultivation, of which about 6,000 will be block fuelwood plantations, proximate to the refugee settlements, and the remainder shelterbelt, agri-silviculture, and village woodlot plantations on private land. The actual mix of plantings will largely depend on the success of extension efforts in encouraging farmers and villagers to embrace agroforestry. Species to be employed by the project include Acacia seval (Talh), Azadirachta indica (Neem), and Acacia senegal (Hashab), as well as Acacia mallifera, Acacia nubica, and mango and guava fruit trees. Besides training project staff in the goals and techniques of the project itself, the project will organize short courses for nursery and plantation workers. Extension activities will be determined by project experience; initial efforts will focus on providing incentives to farmers and refugees such as shade and fruit tree seedlings and programs to educate school children in planting techniques. Visual presentations such as puppet shows will also be tried. The fuelwood plantations developed under the project will be managed by the Forest Department (FD), and opportunities to bid for fuelwood licenses will be offered to refugees and Sudanese alike; proceeds from the sale of these licenses will support continuation of the program by the FD. Shelter belt and agri-silviculture plantations will be managed somewhat differently, but both will produce fuelwood and charcoal for domestic use and off-site sale by farmers. CARE and the host government will share management responsibility for the project. Update on renewable energy activities: The project also includes an improved charcoal stoves program. (PD-AAU-777) A project subpurpose is to improve the FD"s institutional capacity. (See Implementation Report, PD-BBA-936 in AFBRD).