Geographic Information System as a Tool for Rural Livelihoods Enhancement Planning (Case Study of Alosylat Region -Shareg Alnil-Sudan)

Abstract

A comprehensive livelihood planning emerges from a comprehensive understanding of the livelihoods situation. Lack of the community participation toward decision making and preparation of the planning of rural development in urban centers outside the affected villages in Sudan are factors that cause policy failure in livelihoods development. The Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) potential has been recognized. It can be extremely useful if it is applied to the development of sustainable livelihoods and reduction of poverty in a participatory approach. However, as result of lack information about public knowledge, data sharing, and geospatial data, Sudan has been slow to adopt this technology. In this research, by using the Participatory Rural Approach and the Geographic Information System (GIS) as a geographic database, planning and monitoring tool in qualitative methodology, we can gain an understanding of the conditions of rural livelihoods in order to enhance the rural livelihoods planning with the help of the Livelihoods-Framework and Livelihoods Enhancement Action Plan techniques.