FAO to help Sudan on food supply and water management
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has agreed to provide Sudan with $282,000 worth of assistance for projects aimed at sustainable agricultural development and enhanced food production. The government of Sudan, with support from FAO, has designed a project that will be implemented under the umbrella of FAO's Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS).
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (FAO) REGIONAL
OFFICE FOR AFRICA, ACCRA - TEL. 675000/7010930
PRESS RELEASE NO.01/14
UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION TO HELP SUDAN IMPROVE FOOD SUPPLY
THROUGH IMPROVED WATER MANAGEMENT
Nairobi, 28 March 2001 --- The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
has agreed to provide Sudan with $282,000 worth of assistance for projects
aimed at sustainable agricultural development and enhanced food production.
The government of Sudan, with support from FAO, has designed a project that
will be implemented under the umbrella of FAO's Special Programme for Food
Security (SPFS).
Sudan has long faced a shortage of water in many areas and suffers from the
inefficient use of a restricted water supply. These two problems have
combined to constrain the development of agriculture in the country and have
led to a statre of chronic food shortages. In the most vulnerable rain-fed
areas, where 60 percent of the popullation live, irrigation is limited,
agricultural yields remain low and the majority of farmers live in poverty.
Enhanced water use and management are critical factors for increasing,
intensifying agricultural production and improving rural income.
The FAO assistance will introduce low cost irrigation and traditional
rainwater harvesting techniques. The project will focus on 10 villages in
the semi-arid areas of the North Kodofan states directly involving 220
farmers. The demonstration sites were selected following discussions with
local farmers who want to participate in the effort. The project will also
fund the training of irrigation technicians and extension workers on methods
to teach farmers water conservation and irrigation management practices.
The 24-month project, scheduled to start up this month, is expected to
result in improved food production, more efficient rain harvesting and
improved soil conservation techniques, in addition to improved irrigation.
Sudan is one of seven countries in the Horn of Africa facing food shortages,
which has adopted a strategy to improve long term food security. The other
Horn of Africa countries that face food shortages are Djibouti, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda.