Dr. Jagot Chand Malaker:The People's Republic of the Sudan is the largest country in Africa. The history of the Sudan, "Land of the Blacks," has been predominantly one of invasion and conquest. Sudan is a country located in Northern Africa bordering the Red Sea. Neighboring countries include Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan. The geography of Sudan is generally flat with mountains in the east and west and annual flooding in the south due to the Nile River system.
About one-third of the total area of Africa's largest country is suitable for agricultural development. Abundant rainfall in the south permits both agriculture and grazing grounds for the large herds owned by nomadic tribes. In the north, along the banks of the Nile and other rivers, irrigation farming prevails. For most Sudanese, the staple food is durra (sorghum), used to make breads and porridges. These are eaten with various types of stew, beans, lentils, and salads. Sheep is the favorite meat.
It is evident that Sudan is endowed with immense natural resources, key for the development of the agricultural sector. Having the largest irrigated area in the continent as well as vast lands exploited by rain‐fed agricultural systems. However, even though the agricultural sector is the most important economic sector in Sudan, it still remains largely under developed and has shown under performance throughout the last decades.
The Sudan has a population of approximately 25 million, with almost 600 distinct ethnic or tribal groups. The country remains predominantly rural, but towns have expanded rapidly since the Sudan gained its independence from Britain in 1956. Chronic food insecurity in Sudan threatens lives, livelihoods and stability. Due to prolonged conflict, environmental deterioration and other disasters such as drought and floods, many of Sudan’s people are at risk of food insecurity.
Its landscapes include rocky desert, savanna (grasslands), and mountainous rain-land. Its most important physical feature is the Nile River, which traverses the entire length of the country.
The present boundaries of the People's Republic of the Sudan were finalized during this period by agreements between the British and other European nations trying to establish interests in the region. They largely disregarded local tribal, cultural, and linguistic boundaries.
Subsistence farming and commercial production for local consumption and export are practiced. Agriculture remains a crucial sector in the Sudan economy, employs the majority of the labour force, and accounts for about 95 percent of the country's exports. Sudan grows a variety of crops that include cereals wheat, sorghum, millet, barley,corn and rice, oil seeds (sesame, groundnuts and sunflowers), beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Others include cotton, dates, and sugarcane sisal hemp tobacco and fodder crops. Horticultural crops include vegetables onions, tomatoes, okra, egg‐plant, potatoes, water‐melon, cucumber, hot and sweet peppers, and and orchard crops mango, coffee, citrus, guava and date-palm.
There have five main types of farming exist in Sudan
1. Mechanized rain-fed agricultural schemes
2.Traditional rain-fed agriculture
3. Mechanized irrigation schemes
4. Traditional irrigation
5. Livestock husbandry/pastoralist
Vegetable farming is a highly dynamic sector of agriculture. There are a variety of different crops and the market demand varies by the month and quality requirements for advanced markets are strict, while the produce is perishable and logistics are challenging. At the same time vegetable farming is providing very interesting farmer income and employment opportunities.
Cotton cultivation used rotational cropping with a long fallow period to avoid the use of chemical fertilizers. It focused on reducing the area of cotton in production because of a shortage of irrigation water and instead replaced the crop with wheat and sorghum, which require less water. Mechanized rain-fed agriculture also expanded.
Existing Seed Systems
There are three identified seed systems in Sudan.
1) Farmer‐saved
2) Certified Local Varieties and
3) Imported Improved and Hybrid Varieties.
The seed business in Sudan is dominated by the private sector which has been vital to the transition and growth of Sudan’s seed industry. In the vegetable sector, the private sector has been active in marketing and distribution of improved certified seeds and the production of local improved varieties. The seed system in Sudan is led by the private sector after government policy change towards privatization of seed production activities. The governments’ role is now concentrated on quality control, regulated through the National Seeds Authority (NSA) and the Seed Administration (SA).
Agro‐dealers are an important link in the seed supply chain, as they are the main provider of small farms with access to inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and plant protection products. Sudanese seeds had the highest perception among small farmers, mainly because they have been tried. American and Dutch seeds had the highest recognition within the imported category according to farmer perception. Commercial farms have been more efficient producing vegetables again for local consumption. Some export initiatives have been witnessed however at a very low scale
Export opportunities
In spite of the high potential and diversification of products, the export of vegetables is very limited contributing to 2% of total production. Factors affecting vegetables are mainly due to the absence of suitable competitive export varieties, poor post harvesting practices and limited technical marketing expertise and information. Vegetable/Seeds farming have high potentiality as the crops are products of high demand in overseas markets. So, Private sector may come forward to boost exports of agro products growing in Sudan.
Success in Agriculture of Bangladesh
3rd in Rice Production, 2nd in Jute production, 1st in Jute Export, 3rd in Vegetable Production, 3rd in Onion Production, 4th in Tea Production, 8th in Potato Production, 7th in Mango Production, 8th in Guava Production, 28th in Fruit Production,1st in Crop Variety.
During the production period of vegetables and fruits due to low market price and lack of well communicated transport facilities and cool storage facilities, huge amounts fresh vegetables are damaged. So attention should be given to save fresh vegetables and fruits. So process industry should be developed here and near to production areas also create the export opportunity.
Conclusion
Sudan grows a variety of crops that include cereals (wheat, sorghum, millet, barley,corn and rice) oil seeds (sesame, groundnuts and sunflowers), beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Others include cotton, dates, sugarcane sisal hemp, tobacco and fodder crops. Horticultural crops include vegetables onions, tomatoes, okra, egg‐plant, potatoes, water‐melon, cucumber, hot and sweet peppers and orchard crops mango, coffee, citrus, guava and date-palm. By seeing crops growing pattern in Sudan have nice environment for agricultural production with wide range of crop diversity.
Historic overview of agriculture in Sudan Agriculture. The expected results of agricultural development would be to create more job opportunities. Recently we are very successfully growing high value crops eg. Dragon fruits, Strawberry Malta, Orange, Caws nut, Coffee, Melon etc so, we have expert manpower to grow such crops. Most of the African countries export to UK, hope in long run private sector can invest in Sudan and grow vegetables and fruits for exports purposes. It will create the employment opportunity as also earn foreign exchange. But during production period they have to ensure global GAP and ensure traceability also improve packaging systems. If they fulfill all criteria there have another scope to reach Netherlands’ (NL) market, because huge amounts agro products imported by NL and NL exports to other countries. So, Private sector should come forward to boost exports of agro products growing in Sudan.
So a coherent policy support can be taken at national level. But before going to invest in Sudan need SWOT analysis ie. S=strength W=weakness O= opportunity and T= threats. Under the kind leadership of honorable Agriculture Minister Honorable agriculture minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque MP, now Bangladesh is transforming subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture so it is possible to lease lands and go for production to meet our increasing populations’ food demands and also can go for exports of agro products to foreign countries.