environmental degradation as a cause of conflict in - Steiner Graphics

and monitoring and evaluation. The farmers were able to increase their agriculturalproductivity, social services were improved and several rural roads were constructedand the water situation was markedly improved, thorough the digging of wells andthe installation of irrigation pumps. Staff of the project was trained in additionto five thousand farmers’ leaders. The project generally has a favourable impact onthe livelihood of the people in the early phases in the project area. However, theextension funding started to decline in 1994 and, accordingly, a rural developmentcorporation was established to search for funding to sustain the project. A JabalMarrah Company for roads was created but soon disappeared and the project managementwas transferred to the state of West Darfur. The deterioration of the projectcontinued, and in 2002 the president declared the project as a national projectwithin the domain of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture financed from the Ministryof Finance development budget.Western Savanna Development Project (WSDP)The Western Savanna Development Corporation was enacted in 1978 and by 1982funding was secured from IDA, ODA, and Saudi Fund for Development and the Governmentof Sudan (GOS) amounting to twenty-six million dollars for the first phase,which ended in 1984. Phase II started in 1986 funded by IDA, IFAD, ODA and GOSallocating forty-six million dollars. The project served an area of one hundred andthirty-five square kilometers within South Darfur State.The project aimed at unlocking the economic potential and improving the welfareof the people through enhancing supply and security of food and water andconserving and protecting the natural resources from degradation. Specifically, theproject was aiming at increasing grain production and improving farming systems,livestock improvement, and improved soil and water management. The project’sactivities included adaptive research, extension and water settlement, veterinaryservices, livestock management, range and pasture improvement.The project achieved reasonable success in regard to its set objectives. However,as a number of problems were encountered, including lack of credit and inadequatecrop protection, low level of agricultural technology and shortage of inputs andproblematic procurement procedures; the project is now dormant.Umm Kaddada Area Development SchemeThe Umm Kaddada Area Development Scheme was started in 1988. It is one ofseveral Area Development Schemes implemented jointly by the GOS and UNDP, aimingat increasing the capacity of the poor to sustain their livelihoods throughself organisation, access to micro-credit, agricultural services and inputs and theincreased capacity of the poor to sustain their livelihoods.The Umm Kadada ADS falls within the semi–desert zone with an annual rainfall89