Pastoralist and Seasonality: Their Effects on Range Productivity and Carrying Capacity in a Semi-Arid Rangeland of Sudan (Southeast Darfur State)*

This paper had been presented for promotion at the university of Khartoum. To get the full text please contact the other at Abusuwar @ yahoo.comA study was carried in the Baggara country of Dar Rezaigat communal land in south-eastern Darfur State during the period 2006 to 2008 to evaluate the effects of pastoralist and seasonality on vegetation cover, productivity and carrying capacity of a semi-arid rangeland in Sudan. Direct field measurements had been carried out in order to judge and assess the quantity of the pasture and the actual feed required for 1.6 million Animal Units utilizing the pasture of the Baggara country. Permanent study sites were determined using the GPS device in order to evaluate the natural pasture in the years 2006/07 and 2007/08 during early dry and late dry summer seasons. The study area was divided into three blocks ,each with an area of 50X30 km. Block 1 was located in the far north representing the wet and early dry summer grazing site, Block 2 (south of block1) representing early dry and late dry summer grazing and Block 3, in the far south, representing late dry summer grazing site. The parameters measured in this study were the vegetation cover, biomass and forage production and calculation of the pasture carrying capacity and stocking density. Results showed that total forage production was enough to satisfy livestock requirements for the 1.6 million AU inhabiting the area .Moreover forage productivity was greater during the second year and exceeded animal requirements and the pastoral system operating in the area fits very much the scattered vegetation resources available