Financial Viability and Sustainable Management of Acacia nilotica Plantations in El Ain Natural Forest Reserve, Sudan

This study analyses fuelwood volume and honey yield per hectare of Acacia nilotica plantations in El Ain Forest Reserve in Sudan, and assesses the financial viability of fuelwood-honey enterprises using discounted cash flow analysis. Tree growth data were collected using fixed-radius circular sample plots to estimate wood volumes of present and harvest ages. Key informant interviews of Forest National Corporation staff of North Kordofan State and members of the Trade Union of Fuelwood Producers and Traders provided market-related data. Fuelwood production in A. nilotica plantations generates a negative financial net present value (NPV), but when combined with revenue from honey production provides a positive NPV. The findings also suggest that beekeeping may act as an incentive for sustainable forest management.