Communal rangeland grabbing in Sudan

In the article “Exploring the spatio-temporal processes of communal rangeland grabbing in Sudan” (published in Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice 2018 8:14), Hussein Sulieman gives insights into the location and evolution of acquisition of communal rangeland for mechanised agriculture in the Butana area of eastern Sudan. Using data based on satellite imagery, ground surveys and key informant interviews, he shows that large-scale mechanised agriculture increased from 2.5% of the area in the year 2000 to 17.6% in 2014. Converting communal rangeland to individually controlled farms is fragmenting the rangeland, reducing its capacity to sustain the livelihoods of local people and natural regeneration of the native vegetation. The large-scale farmers include wealthy pastoralists who own large numbers of livestock and absentee farmers who hire people to manage their agricultural operations.

The expansion of mechanised agriculture in the rangeland is illegal but continues to occupy new land at the expense of pastoralists and small-scale crop farmers. This situation shows the political and economic marginalisation of traditional land users who, having no representative institutions, cannot defend their tenure rights. Without a fundamental change in development policies in Sudan, which currently turn a blind eye to the illegal grabbing of communal rangeland, land-based conflict – already taking place in many parts of Sudan – may also erupt in the eastern part of the country.

Posted on 1 February 2019 in Pastoralism & Natural Resources, Pastoralism, Policy & Power, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition