environmental degradation as a cause of conflict in - Steiner Graphics

area in West Darfur of 1.5m feddans in the higher and lower slopes of the Jabal Marramountains, was designated as the site of implementation of a large-scale projectfor rural development. The objectives of the project were to foster community-developedagricultural inputs, apply adaptive research and training programmes, andcreate an evaluation system to monitor the functioning of the scheme. The projecthas provided services for thousands of families since its foundation in 1967, withspecial focus on water problems and decreasing agricultural productivity of land. Itachieved notable success in both areas. Due to severe shortages in funding, however,the project has deteriorated and the basic infrastructure of rural roads, energystations, and wells has suffered a lack of proper maintenance and renovation.A further initiative was launched in South Darfur by enacting the Western SavannaDevelopment Corporation. Accordingly, a rural project was established to servean area of 135 square kilometres with a budget of twenty-six million dollars for thefirst phase and forty-six million dollars for the second phase. The project was aimedat the enhancement of food security and water supply and the protection of naturalresources from degradation. Its activities included adaptive research, agriculturalextension, settlement assistance, veterinary services, livestock management, andpasture improvement.Two other projects in Umm Kadada and Elfursan have also achieved tangible successesagainst their set objectives, yet for several reasons the efforts were eitherdiscontinued or have faced stumbling blocks. Abdalla Ahmed Abdalla, Professor ofAgriculture, summed up the factors that brought the projects to a standstill as thelack of credit, shortage of inputs, inadequate crop protection, low level of agriculturaltechnology and problematic procurement procedures.Calls for Political Reform and Immediate Ecological ActionA common belief among participants in the conference was that the people ofDarfur did not have the chance to discuss their problems in a free and democraticatmosphere. The formal negotiations between the government and the rebels inAbuja concentrated inter alia on the cease-fire and humanitarian issues, because nobreakthrough has been achieved on the political and economic fronts. To addressthe genesis of the political question in Darfur and to be able to reach a consensualagreement, Darfurians should have a process of political reform in place and enjoygood governance and democracy.The kingdoms of Darfur have traditions going back to the twelth century. DrO’Fahey has examined original documents from Darfurian history covering thepast nine centuries, which show the development of political norms and customsthrough a series of established states, such as the Darfur Sultanate from the seventeenthcentury onwards. In such African sacred kingships, the king’s feet never19