IMPACTS AND PROSPECTS OF ALATISH NATIONAL PARK FOR LOCAL LIVELIHOODS SUSTAINABILITY; NORTH WESTERN, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The study focuses on impacts and prospects of Alatish National Park (ANP) for local people’s livelihood sustainability. The important factors that determine the park and livelihood sustainability of the local livelihoods are: the demarcation and administration of the park didn’t consider social, cultural, economical and human elements of the local people who have lived around it. This ignorance of local livelihoods and limitation of the local people to access the natural resources without participation in the process of park establishment planning and management leads to conflict between the two groups (the local community against the local government body and the park mangers). Moreover there are external insurgences who affect the park development negatively. This external insurgence includes Felatas’,Rutana and Mesalit which were not considered in the park management process, even if they consume the park’s resource. Thus, even though there are improvements in natural assets at the movement at some parts of the park it may not be sustainable for the future. To end with it is suggested that the success of Alatish Park strategies should consider biodiversity conservation with the local socio economic contexts and external threats. These can be realized through grater inclusion of local people and local community participation in management of the park and sound negotiation with the Sudanese government to minimize the impact of illegal insurgences on the park’s resources