The Future of Agriculture in Sudan: Challenges and Opportunities in Light of War – Something for the Homeland – ✍️ Mr. Salah Ghariba
Sudan's agricultural sector, which forms the backbone of the Sudanese economy, has undergone radical transformations following the armed conflicts that ravaged the country. These conflicts have destroyed agricultural infrastructure, displaced farmers and compromised food security. Despite these serious challenges, Sudan's agricultural sector continues to hold enormous potential for growth and development, provided that the necessary measures are taken to address the deep roots of the problem and take advantage of available opportunities.
Reviving the agricultural sector in Sudan requires the formulation of comprehensive and integrated agricultural policies, focused on empowering small farmers, women and youth by providing the necessary technical and financial support and training to increase their productivity and improve their income , and the strengthening of agricultural industries by encouraging investment in the manufacturing industries of agricultural products, which contributes to creating employment opportunities, increasing the added value of agricultural products, facilitating access to financing and loans by offering credit facilities to farmers, to develop mechanisms of guarantee loans, encourage investments in agricultural infrastructure and facilitate the flow of trade through infrastructure development. For marketing, simplify customs procedures, encourage agricultural cooperatives and encourage the use of digital technologies by adopting modern digital technologies in agriculture, such as smart farming, smart irrigation systems and using data in agricultural decision-making.
The private sector plays a vital role in the development of the agricultural sector, investing in new agricultural projects, developing agricultural value chains and providing modern agricultural inputs. Scientific research also represents a fundamental pillar of sustainable agricultural development, through the development of new crop varieties, the improvement of land productivity and the development of new agricultural techniques.
Sudan's agricultural sector faces many challenges, the most significant of which are water shortages resulting from climate change and urban expansion, land degradation due to excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, Erosion, salinity, spread of pests and diseases as consequences. a result of climate change and the lack of control over pesticides, and armed conflicts which lead to the displacement of farmers and the destruction of agricultural infrastructure.
To face these challenges, measures and solutions can be taken by establishing agricultural cooperatives to enable farmers to obtain the necessary services and resources and collectively market their products, developing modern irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, to reduce water consumption and increase irrigation efficiency and provide logistical facilities for marketing: by building commercial markets, providing transportation and refrigeration agricultural products.
Sudan must restore its leading role in achieving food security in the region, by increasing the production of food crops to meet local needs and exporting to other countries, cooperating with African countries to exchange experiences and technologies in the field of agriculture and combating rumors of famine by providing accurate and reliable data on the country's food situation.
Agricultural development in Sudan must be linked to sustainable development, preserving biodiversity by protecting forests and pastures, encouraging sustainable agriculture, combating climate change by adopting environmentally friendly agricultural practices and developing agricultural industries to increase the added value of agricultural products.
There is a need to invest in agricultural research and the development of digital applications in agriculture, to increase productivity and improve the quality of agricultural products.
The agricultural sector in Sudan represents a great opportunity to achieve economic and social development, provided that the necessary measures are taken to address the challenges it faces and take advantage of the opportunities available. Through cooperation between government, the private sector and civil society, Sudan can become Africa's breadbasket.
