Across Sudan, local communities are facing a number of processes of environmental change, including climate change, drought, population movement, and in places, conflict. These threaten the natural resource base for livelihoods.
Community Environmental Management is a method for improving the sustainable and equitable governance of natural resources at the local level. These approaches use Community Environmental Action Plans (CEAPS) to assess needs and strengthen overall community management of natural resources. The CEAP methodology was pioneered by UNHCR in Eastern Sudan, and UNEP has extended the approach to Darfur.
UNEP is working together with local and international Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s), and state ministries, to prepare model CEAPs which can be replicated elsewhere.
Key project elements include:
- UNEP, together with its national partner, the Darfur Development and Reconstruction Agency (DRA) is developing model CEAPs which engage communities in sustainable environmental activities. Three model CEAPs were set up in 2011, with a further four to come in 2012/13.
- UNEP is supporting the Forestry National Corporation (FNC), Line Ministries, and national CSOs to apply Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) methods in their work at the community level. UNEP has organized training and practitioner’s workshops as a process of establishing best practice in community environmental management.
Key reference documents
- Community Environmental Action Planning – A synthesis report
- CEAP – Getting Organised: A Facilitator’s Guide
- CEAP – A Handbook for Practitioners in Sudan
- CEAP – Planning Toolkit: Participatory Tools and Methods to Engage Communities
- Community Environment Action Planning: A Guide for Practitioners (IUCN)
