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University of
Khartoum
Institute of Desertification and Desert
Cultivation Studies |
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About The Institute |
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Foundation and Objectives |
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Sudan is the
largest country (250 million hectares) in Africa and most seriously affected by desertification. The
hyper-arid, arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid lands cover an
area of 178 million hectares lying between latitude 12o
and 18o N and traversing the country from eastern to
the western borders. All this area is affected to various
degrees by one or more of the desertification processes. Mindful
of the national threat of desertification and realizing the need
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Qualified human resources in the area of desertification. |
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Scientific research in this area. |
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University of Khartoum established the Desertification and
Desert Cultivation Studies Center in 1996, which was upgraded to
an Institute in 2003 to accommodate the UNESCO Chair on
desertification. It is the first teaching and research institute
specialized in desertification in Sudan and the IGAD sub-region.
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The main
objectives of the Institute are: |
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To conduct, encourage and co-ordinate basic and applied
research in the area of desertification. |
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To offer postgraduate programs leading to diploma / M.Sc.
(courses and Research) , M.Sc. (Research) and Ph.D. degrees. |
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To establish data bank of desertification. |
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To co-ordinate and collaborate with governmental and
non-governmental, regional and international institutions in
undertaking activities pertaining to combating
desertification. |
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To
contribute to the national efforts in raising public
awareness of desertification |
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It is hoped
that, in future, participants from neighboring African and
Middle Eastern countries will enroll. Sudan with its extensive
hype-raid, arid, semi-arid lands, varied ecosystems, and
biodiversity is ideal for studying desertification and for
testing scientific and socioeconomic concepts and techniques
for combating desertification. |
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Programs |
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The Institute and the UNESCO Chair will dispatch their functions and
duties through focal program areas, which shall be formulated by
Program Coordination Committees. These areas include:
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Studies of Desertification Phenomenon and its
Combat. |
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The Desertification-affected Soils and Desert
Cultivation |
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Afforestation
and Agro-forestry |
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Range Management |
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Socio-economic
Dimensions of Desertification |
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Training,
Publication, Documentation and Communication.
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General Research themes: |
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Assessment and mapping of desertification in the
Sudan. |
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Wind erosion studies: use of wind traps, prediction models,
soil erodibility etc. |
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Management and reclamation of problem soils. |
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Afforestation: species trials, silvicultural operation,
nursery techniques, seed handling. |
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Agroforestry: alley cropping, inter-cropping. |
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Influence of trees (Acacia
senegal,
Acacia albida, etc.) on soil properties. |
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Micro-catchment techniques for water harvesting on the small
farm level. |
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Water stress physiology. |
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Storage physiology of seeds. |
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Vitiver growth establishment. |
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Range management. |
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Organic fertilization |
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Newsletter |
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The Newsletter was established to
disseminate news of the activities of Institute and provides
information on desertification. It also covers news of the
activities of other relevant institutions and projects in addition
to the socio-economic dimension of desertification. For
contributors, please contact: |
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Dr. Mubarak
Abdelrahman Abdalla (Managing Editor)
Institute of Desertitifaction and Desert Cultivation Studies,
University of Khartoum, Shambat, Sudan|
E-mail: mubarakaba@yahoo.com |
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Links |
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The Institute cooperates and
coordinates with several national teaching and research institution.
Links are established with relevant ministries and universities.
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Facilities |
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The institute coordinates research
with all faculties, Institutes and Centers in Shambat campus. Hence
all technical facilities are rendered available for undertaking
research in the various aspects of desertification. The Institute
has a small-specialized library and a computer Unit for use by staff
and postgraduate students. |
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University of Khartoum,
Shambat, Sudan;
Tel: 00 249 13 329232;
Fax: 00 249 111 780295;
Email: desert@uofk.edu |
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© 2003 University of Khartoum, Last update
7/1/2004 |
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