Environmental Analysis Through Use of Household Characteristics and Socio-economic Data in Central Butana Region of Eastern Sudan
[1]
Abdelmoneim Awadallah Babiker, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Shambat, Sudan.
[2]
Muneer Elyas Siddig Eltahir, Institute of Gum Arabic Research and Desertification Studies, University of Kordofan, El Obied, Sudan.
[3]
Abdel Aziz Elsaid Hussien Hamad, Institute of Gum Arabic Research and Desertification Studies, University of Kordofan, El Obied, Sudan.
Many methods are used in environmental analysis. Each method has its own merits and pitfalls. This paper aimed to apply household characteristics and socioeconomic data in environmental analysis in Central Butana of Eastern Sudan. Two hundred respondents were randomly selected from Elssadda area which consists of 4 villages namely, Central Elssadda, Elhilla, Wad elbahi and Elsaadonab. The primary data were collected through a comprehensive questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and method of descriptive statistics. Many household characteristics and their link to the environment were highlighted in this paper; these included occupation of the head of household, household building material, household assets, size of farm holdings, cropping system and method of land preparation. A proxy was used to reflect land degradation. The most important results were that most inhabitants depended on the local environment for their livelihoods. The majority of population lives in nondurable households. They were small-scale farmers and Sorghum monocultures. As compared to the few recent decades, 55% of the surveyed households buy milk for family consumption indicating degradation of the range land. The paper concluded the undertaking of further studies to capture other variables not included in the paper, as a new trend in environmental analysis, and adopt measures to mitigate climate change hazards which threaten the local environment.
Environmental Analysis, Household Characteristics, Socio-economic, Butana
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