Republic of the SudanLocal governance to secure access to land and water in the lower Gash watershed

Dr Ali M. Adeeb

Location

Background

• Land Registry

• Land Allocation

• Water Resources

The Context

• Hadendowa tribeterritory (agro-pastoral way of life)• Spate irrigation scheme• Population pressure (droughts, conflict)

GashRiver

CanalRegulator

Canal Off-take

MasgaMasga Channel

Balak Balak

The Problem- a farmer’s point of view

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

1947 1950 1993 2003

Year

• Decrease of cultivated area in the scheme

• Decrease of rangeland for livestock

• Inequitable mechanism in place to cope with scheme deterioration

• Fragmented scheme management organisation

Proposed Solutions

• Secure land tenureUpdate of registry, Increase nominal area

• Secure water managementFormation of WUA-Training

• Support natural resource managementHolistic approach (governance, conflict mitigation)

Land & Water GovernanceInnovation

• Clarification of roles, responsibilities, funding of stakeholders

• Access rules to viable land tenure• Devolution of responsibilities over

land and water management to Gur’a level

• Creation of intermediate levels of responsibility for the scheme

Project ImplementationPartnership with the Farmers’ Union

Achievements as of July 2004:• Creation of Legal Committee for Land

Reform• Stakeholders consensus on eligibility

criteria• WUA status officially created• Creation of the Gash Delta Agricultural

Corporation• Maintaining 1st flood for range (tradition)• Flood control for Kassala city

Results & impactsWork in progress…

2005 Objectives on Degain pilot block:

• WUA formed at mesga & block levels

• Land & Water service fee collected• Cleared registry book: list of

tenants, fixed plots allocated• Improved flood control• 20 000 Fd cultivated (50%)

Lessons Learned

About institutional reforms

• Implementation of legal framework (LCLR, WUA) requires intensive consultation processes

• Timing of critical steps has to respect farmers’ priorities regarding the agricultural cycle

• Local organisations (FU) are required to reach critical mass of ownership

Conclusion

• An IFAD loan can be instrumental for Land & Water Governance reform

• The challenge: to turn around from supply-driven state services to active citizen-farmers

• This reform process requires checks & balances to avoid highjacking of change agenda