Potentials of Irrigated Agriculture in Improvement of Food Security in Southern Sudan

Potentials of Irrigated Agriculture in Improvement of Food Security in Southern Sudan
Author: Issam A.W Mohamed
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2017
Genre:
ISBN:

Southern Sudan population has chosen secession in January 2011 referendum and independence shall be declared next July. However, its food production capabilities are still hindered by weak or nonexistent infrastructure, meager labor-force and effects of long civil war that hampered development and destroyed agricultural schemes. The current paper reviews possible improvements of food production and security in the south as a cornerstone for future development in the future state. Introduction of specific crops is feasible to improve parameters of future economic sectors development. Maize is suggested as a staple crop to support traditional farmers. The provision of extension and plant protection services need to be strengthened in areas where maize is being cultivated. Moreover, management must be streamlined to cope up with the expected activities during the first expansion phase. Extensive training of all the categories working in agricultural development is the top priority. In order to improve productivity, high yielding crops varieties have to be released for cultivation in other ecological zones where research has shown that the conditions are suitable for maize production. The production relationships are invisible. Therefore, farmers have to be employed for production of the maize seeds by recognized research institutions in Southern Sudan. The current issue on land rights, land ownership have to be settled once and for all which may in turn encourage the investors to come to Southern Sudan. Most important is the improvement of the available credit to small-scale farmers as they are limited without government guarantee. Traditional farmers and small farmers in the semi-mechanized sector are risky clients for credit because of their unpredictable environment, low and fluctuating yields remote location and inadequate structures for making and support services. Nevertheless, small farmers would have substantial potential if it is were possible to increase average farm size, improved technology, access to credit provide better infrastructure such as roads and domestic water supply.

Irrigated Agriculture and Food Security in the New Nation of Southern Sudan

Irrigated Agriculture and Food Security in the New Nation of Southern Sudan
Author: Issam A. W. Mohamed
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
Total Pages: 84
Release: 2011-03-18
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781480015517

The new nation of Southern Sudan depends totally on its oil production and revenues. However, besides that resource there are potentials to develop its agricultural sector, bot for food security and as an economic sector. Southern Sudan population has chosen secession in January 2011 referendum and independence shall be declared next July. However, its food production capabilities are still hindered by weak or nonexistent infrastructure, meager labor-force and effects of long civil war that hampered development and destroyed agricultural schemes. An estimated 3.64 million people who are in need of at least 571,900 tons of food assistance. South Sudan is a country with a very high potential for expanding and developing the agricultural sector as 90% of its land is considered suitable for agriculture and 50% is prime agricultural land. The Country has over 30 million hectares of arable land with only 5% currently in use. There are various ecological zones in South Sudan and all areas have the capacity for crop production. In particular the greenbelt zone has high agricultural potential, as there are two cropping seasons. The main crops currently grown in South Sudan include maize, sorghum, finger millet, cassava, sweet potato and groundnuts. Main fruit varieties include bananas, plantain, pineapple, mango and citrus whilst the main vegetable varieties are onion, okra, cabbage, eggplant, pumpkin and cucumber.

Irrigated Agriculture and Food Security in the New Nation of Southern Sudan

Irrigated Agriculture and Food Security in the New Nation of Southern Sudan
Author: Issam A.W. Mohamed
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN:

The new nation of Southern Sudan depends totally on its oil production and revenues. However, besides that resource there are potentials to develop its agricultural sector, both for food security and as an economic sector. Southern Sudan population has chosen secession in January 2011 referendum and independence shall be declared next July. However, its food production capabilities are still hindered by weak or nonexistent infrastructure, meager labor-force and effects of long civil war that hampered development and destroyed agricultural schemes. An estimated 3.64 million people who are in need of at least 571,900 tons of food assistance. South Sudan is a country with a very high potential for expanding and developing the agricultural sector as 90% of its land is considered suitable for agriculture and 50% is prime agricultural land. The Country has over 30 million hectares of arable land with only 5% currently in use. There are various ecological zones in South Sudan and all areas have the capacity for crop production. In particular the greenbelt zone has high agricultural potential, as there are two cropping seasons. The main crops currently grown in South Sudan include maize, sorghum, finger millet, cassava, sweet potato and groundnuts. Main fruit varieties include bananas, plantain, pineapple, mango and citrus whilst the main vegetable varieties are onion, okra, cabbage, eggplant, pumpkin and cucumber.

Current Status of Agriculture and Future Challenges in Sudan

Current Status of Agriculture and Future Challenges in Sudan
Author: Farida Mahgoub
Publisher: Nordic Africa Institute
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2014-04
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9789171067487

Urbanisation and long-lasting civil wars and conflict mean that the demographic pattern in Sudan is changing drastically. Nevertheless, 60%-80 % of Sudanese engage in subsistence agriculture. Agriculture remains a crucial sector in the economy as a major source of raw materials, food and foreign exchange. It employs the majority of the labour force, and serves as a potential vehicle for diversifying the economy. However, no rigorous studies have explained productivity in this sector in relation to food security. The situation has worsened because agriculture in particular has been neglected since the advent of oil production in the early 2000s. Moreover, Sudan's agricultural growth has been unbalanced, with the majority of irrigated agriculture concentrated in the Centre and a huge disparity in development indicators between the best- and worst-performing regions.Thus, studies show that the vast majority of Sudanese are reported to be food insecure, especially internally displaced persons and in conflict regions such as Darfur, Kordofan and other regions.

Determinants of resilience for food and nutrition security in South Sudan

Determinants of resilience for food and nutrition security in South Sudan
Author: Ulimwengu, John M.
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 85
Release: 2022-04-21
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

The paper analyzes the determinants of long-term individual and community resilience for food and nutrition security in South Sudan using data from multiple sources including key informant interviews, household and community surveys, and georeferenced secondary data on climate, agricultural production, irrigation, and market access. Major agricultural development constraints as well as incidence of and responses to shocks and conflict are described. Climate-crop modeling and simulation methods are used to evaluate the constraints and to identify crop investment options. Then, a spatial typology of food and nutrition security is used to evaluate the constraints along the production-to-nutrition pathway to identify interventions that target different segments of the chain and options for improving agriculture and broader development outcomes. These are classified into production, access, and utilization efficiencies, and whether the underlying constraints are structural (i.e., level of efficiency remains the same over time) or stochastic (i.e., level of efficiency changes over time). The analysis is focused on about a dozen selected counties. The results show that development challenges are being compounded by climate change, with significant increases in the mean annual rainfall and daily maximum temperature for the warmest month. Between 1975 and 2016 for example, the mean annual rainfall in the selected counties increased by 40-111 mm/year, with a rise in the intensity of 0.2-1.3 mm per event. The daily maximum temperature for the warmest month increased by 2.0-3.2°C. If these trends (especially for temperature) continue to 2050, crop yields are projected to decline in the selected counties on average by 12-23% for sorghum, 9-18% for maize, 19-30% for groundnuts, and 16-24% for cassava. In general, there is an inverse-U-shaped the relationship between temperature and yields. While the peak of the inverse U varies by crop, time of the growing season, and other factors, crops in South Sudan are typically on the downward sloping side of the inverse U implying that increases in temperature will decrease yields (and at an increasing rate). Results of a spatial typology show that a majority (78%) of the selected counties are classified as having medium production efficiency and 22% as low production efficiency, none with high production efficiency. With respect to access to nutritious food, 55%, 29%, and 17% of the counties are classified as low, medium, and high access efficiency, respectively. And regarding the conversion of food access into nutritional status, 37%, 26%, and 37% are classified as low, medium, and high utilization efficiency, respectively. Whereas production efficiency mostly remains constant over time, (with only 24% of the counties recording substantial changes in efficiency level), access and utilization efficiency appear more volatile (with substantial changes observed in 52% of the counties). These results suggest that the access segment of the production-to-nutrition value chain is the most constraining, followed by the utilization segment. The differences in the results across counties reflect differences in development constraints across the country, which are also described. Implications of the results for building long-term individual and community resilience are discussed, in addition to areas for further research. Given the complex nature of crises facing South Sudan, our findings call for a comprehensive policy approach to address not only the urgent humanitarian crisis but also to help restore agricultural production systems as well as support communities to cope, recover, and build their vii resilience to shocks and crises. This is in line with the Partnership for Recovery and Resilience (PfRR) integrated programme framework for resilience which comprises four pillars: i) re-establish access to basic services, ii) rebuild trust in people and institutions, iii) restore productive capacities, and iv) nurture effective partnerships.

Transforming agriculture in South Sudan

Transforming agriculture in South Sudan
Author: Eliste, P., Forget, V., Veillerette, B., Rothe, A.-K., Camara, Y., Cherrou, Y., Ugo, E., Deng, S.
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 187
Release: 2022-08-10
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9251366640

FAO teamed up with the World Bank on this strategic analysis of the investment, policy and institutional support needed to shift South Sudan’s agriculture sector from humanitarian relief to a development-oriented growth path. The team carried out a thorough review of lessons learned in South Sudan and other conflict-affected countries and held consultations with a wide range of stakeholders in the country. As a result, four complementary investment strategies were identified: agriculture production and food security; community resilience and social capital; value chain development and jobs; and peace consolidation. The authors advocate for combining these four strategies in a flexible way, depending on how the shocks currently affecting agriculture (conflict, violence, macro-economic instability, governance, natural disasters) evolve in the coming years. The Government of South Sudan and the World Bank consider this analytical work a milestone that will pave the way for future investments in agriculture and rural development in the country. This publication is part of the Country Investment Highlights series under the FAO Investment Centre’s Knowledge for Investment (K4I) programme.

Rising from the Depths

Rising from the Depths
Author: Edoardo Borgomeo
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 173
Release: 2023-02-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464819432

South Sudan is the third most vulnerable country to climate change in the world, and one of the most politically fragile. Rising from the Depths illustrates how South Sudan can leverage its water resources to prepare for climate change and advance national peace and development.