Challenges facing land tenure system in relation to pastoral livelihood security in Gedarif State, Eastern Sudan

Abstract

Land in rural communities is not just a means of livelihood but also a source of wealth, tribal identity, social peace,
and also source of conflicts. This paper addresses the issue of pastoral land tenure in relation to their livelihood
security in Sudan. The overall objective is to trace the changes in land tenure system and its implications on
pastoral communities in Gedarif state, eastern Sudan. In Gedarif like elsewhere in Sudan accessing pastoral land
was governed by the system of communal rights. Although, this system has some shortcomings such as lack of
transparency and democracy besides being gender bias as woman can access land only through their fathers and
husbands, it has proven its efficiency in securing livelihood and reducing conflicts in the country. Several land acts
have been introduced since the colonial era and during the national successive governments aiming to provide the
state full authority to control land resources and undermining the traditional communal right of pastoral people.
Among these was the unregistered act of 1970, this act has given the government the full power to grab and
reallocate the land to the public and private sectors most were not from Gedarif state, without taking into account
the communal right of utilization and access to land, which is the major source for pastoral livelihood. As a result
unplanned mechanized farming has expanded rapidly at the expense of traditional right causing rigorous
implications and threat on pastoral economy. These implications include: livelihood insecurity, drop out from
traditional sectors, collapse of pastoral adaptation, poverty, rural urban migration, weakening the role of tribal
leaders and acute conflict over limited resources.