Sudan

Sudan, the largest country in Africa, occupies about 2.5 million km2, extending from the desert in the north to the equatorial rainforests in the south. This unique geographical coverage makes Sudan one of the richest environments in the diversity of insect species. Rangelands in Sudan are very variable and extend over seven ecological zones: desert, semi-desert, low rainfall savanna on sand, low rainfall on clay, flood region, high rainfall savanna and mountainous regions. These variations support a diversity of vegetation and production systems. Rangelands are showing a decrease of palatable “desirable” species and an increase in unpalatable and invasive species.

The country is also well endowed with underground water, which has hardly been tapped, in addition to numerous seasonal rivers outside the Nile Valley. These natural resources have allowed the build-up of a national herd of livestock, estimated at some 116 million head of cattle, sheep, goats and camels, as well as several million wild animals. The livestock populations are increasing tremendously due to improved veterinary and drinking water services. Livestock accounts for some 20-22% of the country’s GDP and 53-56% of the agricultural GDP. The country is self-sufficient in meat and raw material from hides and skins for industry. Many plant species are grown to meet the demands for food, shelter, clothing, medicine and fodder. The most important crop species, especially during times of drought, are the indigenous fruits and vegetables known as kursan and okra. Gizzu vegetation is an example of unique range plants that grow in desert areas after the scarce rainfall which rarely falls in the desert. The nomads seek the gizzu for highly desirable nutritious winter grazing. The gizzu disappeared from the desert areas during the drought periods for more than 20 years. However, during the last few years, the gizzu has appeared in vast areas of the desert in Darfur.