Background

The war in the East and the subsequent conclusion of the ESPA in 2006 reshaped the socio-political landscape of the region. Even with the support of the ESRDF, the ESPA continues to face a number of difficulties and developments will need to be monitored closely. The lack of accurate information about wealth distribution in the East has made it difficult to do proper development in the three states of East Sudan. This situation overlays onto an already sensitive tribal balance – particularly for Kassala State which accommodates almost all ethnic groups in Sudan and a large number of displaced people that include 68,000 conflict-induced IDPs from the East, South Sudan, South Kordofan and Darfur. As well, the East is also home to the largest concentration of Eritrean refugees in Sudan, last estimates at 65,000 individuals, most of them in the main camps of Girba, Shagarab, Kilo 26, Wad Shariefai, Gulsa, and Laffa.

Political, economic and social marginalization of Eastern Sudan has resulted in chronic poverty and underdevelopment. The region suffers some of the worst indicators in Sudan with consistently high rates of global and acute malnutrition, low levels of literacy and school attendance, especially by girls and limited access to health and clean water. Food security is a major problem that has not been addressed holistically at a strategic level by the national/local government or the international community. In discussions on Red Sea State, there was a general consensus among the government, international organizations operating in the region and donors that interventions carried out had not been strategic enough to tackle the causes of food and livelihood insecurity and current capacity to support livelihoods was generally inadequate.

Traditional livelihood strategies in the East that combined animal rearing with agriculture have been undermined by recurrent droughts, famine, floods, changes in demographics and conflict and are no longer able to ensure adequate household income. Historical coping mechanisms that consisted of mobility, herd diversification and redistribution, rules for environmental protection, and diversified income sources to compliment livestock such as cultivation and labor migration are not sufficient and maladaptive strategies which are unsustainable such as reliance on aid agencies, selling of firewood and smuggling have become prevalent.

Objectives
The Recovery of Livelihoods and Sustainable Natural Resources Management pilot project in Kassala has been developed with the support of UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, through a strategic partnership, is providing assistance to UNDP Sudan to develop regional recovery strategies throughout the country. The project development has been guided by an in-depth analysis conducted by the Crises and Risk Mapping and Analysis (CRMA) project in Kassala State to ensure that the project is being designed and implemented in a conflict and disaster risk sensitive way.

The specific objectives of the project are:
• Livelihood Analysis/Livelihoods and sustainable natural resource management network;
• Vocational training and future-oriented skills building;
• Enhancing incomes of farmers and pastoralists;
• Development of the micro finance sector;
• Private sector development including small/medium enterprise, markets and value chains
• Capacity development of livelihood-focused NGOs/CBOs.

Snapshots of the project's major achievements
1. Construction of new buildings and renovation of old sections started by March and completed by July 2010.
2. The KVTC received all committed tools, equipment, auto-motive machinery, furniture and IT equipment.
3. The KVTC management reported increase of 66% in admission of new trainees this year from 120 to 200.
4. Coordination with JICA extended to cover provision of some tools, equipment and capacity building for the KVTC staff on IT and ToT, and support in strategic planning.
5. A workshop conducted, in Dec. 2010, concerning the Vision of VT for further development. Later on 17 stakeholders (including government, unions, academics and NGOs) participated in seminar raised discussion on the structure, roles and responsibilities of the proposed State Council for Vocational Training.
6. The Wali of the state issued a decree on the establishment of the VT Council with 19 members of which the UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, ERDP and JICA are international institutes supporting VT in the state.
7. The VT Council first meeting was held on 16 August and an Executive Secretary has been established and resumed taking its roles and responsibilities that include strategic planning and policies formulation.
8. The plan prepared to carry out the Labour Market Survey for Kassala and Gadarif states to cover areas targeted by the new project “Transitional Solutions Initiative” prepared jointly by the UNDP and UNHCR.
9. To enhance income of 150 small farmers and pastoralists” as a pilot activity the project contracted Practical Action and German Agro-action through IOM/CRMA which started implementation activities in Rural Kassala and Telkuk localities.