Fakhirudeen Ahmad Mohammad

Vol. 17 | No. 1, 1447 - 2025

:Abstract

The study dealt with the issue of measuring the rural accessibility index in the locality of South Gezira, Republic of Sudan. The study aimed to find out thepercentage of the rural population in the locality of South Al-Jazirah and itsadministrative units, who live two kilometers from the road in all weatherconditions, equivalent to walking for a period ranging between 20 to 25 minutes,through the overlay layers of rural population, rural population, administrativeborders, and a road that is suitable for all weather conditions using geospatial techniques.

The study collected its data from multiple sources, including spatial data for the fifth population census (2008), population projections for the year (2018), data from the Sudanese National Roads and Bridges Authority, open-source maps (Open Street Map- OSM), and Esri resources on the (ArcGIS) platform. And the scientific trip in which the data of the study sample was collected using (GPS GARMIN 60CSx), smart phone and its software (Roadroid), smart camera (ROVE-R2-4k) and its software (ROVE).

After analyzing the entered data, the study reached a few results, represented in the fact that local roads in the south of the island are less susceptible to damage, washing, and slipping due to weather, climate, and terrain, which led to a lower level of road closures, which resulted in a higher accessibility factor. And that there is a variation in the quality of local roads according to the coefficient International roughness, we find that 34% of the paved roads are described as very good and good, and 66% are described as weak and very weak, but their effect is low on the closure of paved roads due to weather and climate, and therefore the access factor is higher, and 100% of the paved roads are described between very good, good, and fair, and therefore its effect is low on closing paved roads, which led to a higher accessibility factor. As for unpaved roads, it is described as between very good, good, and fair, by 97%, and 3%, it is poor, and therefore its effect is medium on closing unpaved roads, and therefore an average access factor. The density of local roads amounted to (0.66) linear km per km2, and the percentage of the population who live within 2 km of an all-weather road equivalent to 20-25 minutes of walking was (97 %), (100%) for basic education, (88%) for secondary education, and (87%) for health services. The percentage of the population in the locality, and that these percentages vary within the administrative units of the locality of South Al Jazira.

The study also recommended using the method of geospatial techniques in calculating the rural access index, and that the geography departments in Sudan and the Arab world participate in correcting open source (Open Street Map-OSM) data, and that the correction and addition process is not left to non-specialized volunteers, as well as the geography departments can supplement and update. The spatial data of the population censuses and the addition of descriptive data, and that each university has a spatial scope, in which there can be students who know the geographical details of the region. The study also recommends that the administrative officials in the study area can take advantage of the results of the study and apply the geospatial techniques to improve the quality of services (roads, education and health).

Keywords: Rural Access Index, International Roughness Index, Geospatial techniques, Geographical data, A road that is suitable for all weather conditions