Use of Goeinformatics in 3D Participatory Land Use Planning for Strengthening Land Management- A Case Study of Darfur Region

Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) has been launched as a modern tool for sustainable resource management in rural communities in the last three to four decades. PLUP is a top-down management approach deals with integrating geoinformatics technologies such as aerial photos, Geographic Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems into land use planning and natural resources management by local communities. Due to the conflicts in Darfur region, natural resources faced many environmental challenges such as overexploitation, population growth, displacement, resettlement and others. Therefore, this research was an attempt developed to assess, evaluate and document implementation process of the 3D PLUP experiences in Darfur region used for strengthening natural resources, land use management and planning carried out within a frame of series of workshops and activities conducted by the author for FAO in Darfur region during the period 2017-2019. The research was of two components, one dealing with description, documentation and assessment 3D PLUP model construction and use, while the other part represents the respondents questionnaire designed to evaluate the views of the intended communities about the PLUP mechanism. The process started with the socioeconomic data collection through meeting, group discussion and awareness workshops with intended communities where the existing natural resources status and environmental challenges were been described and then agreed upon having a PLUP model as a mechanism for strengthening the land management. Then after a land management committee in each area has been selected and trained for construction of the 3D/2D PLUP model. Afterward topographic DEM and maps were produced in GIS and printed in as analog maps. Then after the communities constructed the 3D/2D models depending on the contour and relief model using set of materials described here in this research. As a result in this research one to two 3D models were constructed in eleven municipalities in Darfur region. The results showed that more than 70 % of the participants found the 3D/2D PLUP models were useful in strengthening land management in the studied areas. Also, nearly all respondents mentioned that many environmental challenges were existed in the areas and it is wise to have such kind of mapping model. Moreover, almost all participants said they didnt hear about the PLUP model before. In the same time more than half of the respondents mentioned that the construction procedures of the 3D PLUP model were easy to understand and middle in difficulty. The study concluded that the 3D PLUP model was helpful, socially acceptable and scientifically wise approach in strengthen and enhancement of land management in the studied areas and recommended to be replicated in the other localities and states in the country.