Degradation and abandonment of mechanized rain‐fed agricultural land in the Southern Gadarif region,Sudan: the local farmers' perception

In the Gadarif Region of Sudan, destruction of the natural vegetation for agricultural expansion is one of the major causes of the degradation of renewable resources and the environment. This study identifies and analyses the farmers' attitudes and perceptions towards agricultural land degradation and abandonment. The cross‐sectional data collected from ten key informants and 41 large‐scale farmers focussed on the degradation and abandonment of mechanized agricultural land. The results of the study show that the respondents are well aware that soil degradation is in various forms are taking place on their cultivated agricultural land. This is based on their perception and interpretation of indicators such as weed infestation, poor soil fertility and soil compaction. Continuous cropping, mono‐cropping, rainfall shortage and the use of inferior seeds are the main reasons of land degradation as indicated by farmers. The main measures acknowledged to maintain and improve land productivity are repeated soil ploughing, abandonment/fallow periods and crop rotation. The study adduces evidence of widespread land degradation. The mitigation measures followed by the farmers may though not be sufficient to restore the soil fertility. The application of appropriate chemical fertilizers, sound crop rotation and long fallow periods can be recommended. Any management and research intervention regarding the problem of land degradation should; however, be concerted with the farmers' knowledge. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.