Advances of desertification research: status, gap and future challenges (sudan study case)

Desertification is a result of complex interactions within coupled social-ecological systems. Thus, the relative contributions of climatic, anthropogenic and other drivers of desertification vary depending on specific socio-economic and ecological contexts. The research aimed in contributing raise awareness, show the current status, future challenges and emphasized on researches that must be done through national strategies starting with determination the top priorities of research. Desertification induced by adverse human activities on agricultural lands creates a real research gap on vegetation degradation, soil erosion, soil crusting and compaction caused by mechanized farming and animals trampling, trends of range land as well as continuous updating of carrying capacity of range lands, depletion of nutrients and organic matter due to excessive land use, accumulation of fertilizers and pesticides that may be toxic to human, plants and animals. Due to limited financial resources for anti-desertification research, there is a gap in combating desertification research generally, and wind erosion particularly such as: Stabilizing soil particles by various natural or synthetic cementing and flocculating materials that increase the non- erodiable soil particles (NEP) on the soil surface; producing a rough and cloddy surface; maintaining sufficient vegetative cover; and establishing barriers or shelter belts barriers to reduce effective field length traveled by the wind. Furthermore there is a lack in studies focused on measuring sand encroaching into the Nile. Still there is urgent need to conduct research on design and implementation of shelter belts and specify type of trees, number of rows, density and distance. The inevitable failure for desertification research that is not integrated with poverty alleviation programs, so there is a critical need to designing ideal planning and sustainable management of natural resources to keep this human mass well and satisfied