Agriculture in TheSudan
Source: Ministry of Agriculture & forestry
The Sudan is a vast country extending gradually from the desert in the north with hot dry climate and no vegetative cover, to the African Sahel zone in the center with light and dense Savannah, and to the sub-tropical region in the South with heavy rains and dense tree cover. This endows the country with diversity as reflected in various environments and different agricultural systems.
TheSudan is an Afro-Arab country well-placed geographically, median among the Arab countries in North Africa, the Arab countries across the Red Sea and the countries of east, central and west Africa. In this respect the country serves not only as a bridge facilitating trade and human movement, but also as a melting pot of African and Arab cultures. The country by size and diversity is Africa in miniature with complex cultural, ethnic and religious entities. With 2.5 million square kilometers in area, theSudan is the largest Arab and African country. It enjoys extensive arable land, estimated at some 85 million hectares (1 ha = 2.38 feddans), that can mostly be rain cultivated with rain-fall varying from about 50 millimeters in the extreme north to more than 1500 mm in the extreme south. Thanks to the extensive rains most of central and all southernSudan is covered with forests and grasslands, grossly estimated at some 66 million ha. The Nile River with its various tributaries crosses the country from the south to the north offering an annual flow of some 84 milliard cubic meters,Sudan’s share of which is 18.5 milliard cubic meters at Aswan. The country is also rich in underground water that has hardly been tapped, in addition to numerous seasonal rivers outside the Nile Valley which need to be controlled and regulated to maximize their utilization. All these natural resources have allowed the build-up of a national herd of livestock, estimated at some 116 million head of cattle, sheep, goats and camels, as well as several million wild animals. The Nile Valley and the Red Sea are also rich in fish and aquatic life constituting a tourist attraction in addition to their role in food security. The country is well known for its rich mineral resources which include petroleum, gold, iron, lead, chrome, asbestos ... etc. Indeed a 1600 kilometers of pipeline, Bashair Sea Port and other installations have been completed and the export of crude oil began on 30th August 1999 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Salvation Revolution. The construction of Khartoum refinery is expected to be completed by March 2000 to commence the export of refined products.
The Role of Agriculture in the National Economy
Agriculture is the leading economic sector, contributing 48% of the GDP, giving employment to 65% of the population and providing the country with about 80% of the export earnings, which were estimated at 600 million dollars in 1999. The agricultural sector is the source of raw material to the processing factories in the country including textiles, sugar, vegetable oil, soap factories, grain mills, milk factories, tanneries, saw mills. etc which contribute 17% of GDP and some 20% of foreign earnings.
Sudan comes first among developing countries that have implemented programmes to restructure the economy to privatize the public sector and to liberalize production, trade and export policies. TheSudan is an active member of the African Common Market of East and South Africa (COMMESA); the Arab Common Market, the Greater Arab Free-Trade Region and a prospective member of the World Trade Organization.
Animal Wealth inSudan
Sudan owns a huge livestock population, which consists of cattle, sheep, goats and camels, in addition to the wildlife, fish and poultry. The livestock wealth was estimated to be around 124 million head in 2000 classified in the following categories:
37 million head of cattle.
46 million head of sheep.
38 million head of goats.
3 million head of camels.
Sudan comes first in the Arab world, and as the second richest African country in livestock and fifth in the World. This is due to its extensive pasture lands and suitability of its climate for animal raising. Good natural pasturage covers more than 57 million feddans, and the nomadic pastural sector tends for more than 90% of this huge animal population.
The wildlife sector is considered as a sub-sector of the forests’ products and there are no statistical data about this sector, but wild animals are distributed in most parts of the country and they vary in accordance with the different climatic zones inSudan.
Animal Wealth inSudan witnessed a great improvement in animal population which rose from 58 million head in 1988 to 124 million head in 2000 According to the evaluation of Animal Wealth Sector Performance Report.
The report which is presented by the Federal Ministry of Animal Wealth added that there are more than 36 million domestic birds in addition to a storage of fishery resources estimated to be produced 110 thousands tons of meat annually.
The report added that animal resources play an important role in national food security, providing the country with meat, milk and poultry products. This in addition to exports of live and slaughtered animals. Remains of slaughtered animals are utilized for production of manufactured leather and organic fertilizers, which secure employment opportunities for many people.
According to the report animal wealth contributed 22.4 percent to Gross National Product (GNP) and more than 18 percent of exports revenues in 1999.
There is a remarkable increase in GNP contribution over the years. In 1997 it was 20.1%. Revenues from animal exports rose from 133.5 million USD in 1997 to 142.3 million USD in 1999.
Meat production is also increasing. In 1997 meat production was estimated at 1331 tons. It increased to 1463 ton in 1999. It estimated to have reached 1522 tons in 2000.
Milk production rates have also been improved by introducing better breeds of cattle during the recent years. Milk production has raised from 6001 for in 1997 to 6650 thousands in 1999 and is expected to have reached 6879thousand tons in 2000.
Forests inSudan
Forests and Forest Products
While trees in the north are only found along the banks of rivers and in wadis, the number of varieties and intensity of trees increase with rainfall. Indeed the life of the Sudanese is highly dependant on the forest as it improves and protects soil, ameliorates climate, protects water sources, supports livestock and wild life and contributes to food
security with such forest fruits such as nabag, goddeim, jogan, dom, gongoles, daleib and honey.
Forest trees provide poles to construct rural houses and timber for furniture. IndeedSudan is dependant on trees for about 78% of energy requirements in the form of firewood and charcoal. On the other hand gum-arabic collected from Acaciasenegal and Acacia seyal trees is an important export crop fetching annually more than 50 million dollars on average.
Sudan is rich in valuable timber trees. Examples includ Sunut (Acacia nilotica) which grows on the banks of rivers, vuba (Isoberlinia doka) which grows well in the ironstone region in the south which is suitable for railway sleepers and building material. Teak, Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) Bai and Bu provide high quality wood for furniture.
The extensiveness of forests calls for investment in forest products such as paper, plywood and furniture industry.
