Minister of Agriculture: 50% of Gezira Scheme has been cultivated this year

Federal Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Abu Bakr Al-Bushra, has issued new assurances regarding the food situation in Sudan.He confirmed, in an interview with (Sudan Pulse) that the food security situation is very reassuring, revealing that sorghum production exceeds consumption, as more than 39 million acres have been cultivated, including 17 million acres of sorghum because it is considered the main food of the people of Sudan, and this provides 10 million tons of sorghum, while Sudan needs 4-5 million tons to cover local consumption. Therefore, the minister ruled out Sudan falling into the fire of a severe food crisis promoted by external organizations.

The minister acknowledged that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Militia occupies half of the Gezira Scheme area, however he asserted that the other half is in the hands of the state and significant areas of it have been cultivated.

The minister explained that the agricultural sector has suffered huge losses, in addition to the occupation of the Gezira Scheme, there is plundering and theft of seeds, looting of stored crops, cars, machinery, etc., disclosing that a rehabilitation plan has been put in place for the Gezira Scheme and other projects affected by the war.

He unveiled the cultivation of cash crops such as cotton, sesame, etc. for export, stressing the continuation of crop exports, adding, “Exports from Sudan continue and have not stopped and have not been affected by the war.”

But he admitted that foreign investments in Sudan have been affected by the war due to the departure of those who supervise them.