Some nine million acres of agricultural land are set to be cultivated to boost production and food security in Sudan’s South Darfur State, authorities have said.
The state’s Council of Ministers in its regular meeting on Saturday chaired by Acting Governor Salah Ismail Al-Mawj in Kass locality discussed the report on the 2024 agricultural and pastoral season, according to State Minister of Agriculture Hammad Mohammed Musa Matar.
“The meeting addressed the preparations for this year’s agricultural and pastoral season,” the Minister told Radio Tamazuj at the weekend. “The state heavily relies on the success and security of the agricultural season.”
Mohammed explained that this year’s plan targets cultivation across all 21 localities of the state and said the requirements like fuel, agricultural machinery, fertilizers and pesticides, and spraying equipment had been procured.
“We have mobilized all farmers in the state to ensure the success of the agricultural season,” he explained. “We have also coordinated with international organizations working in the agricultural and pastoral field like FAO, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, CARE, World Vision, and ZOA.”
According to Minister Mohammed, the state’s agricultural plan focuses on cultivating food security crops, specifically millet and sorghum, with three million acres allocated for millet and two and a half million acres for sorghum, in addition to peanuts.
He pointed out that they have made necessary arrangements to secure the agricultural season by combatting pests which contributed to the failure of last year’s crop.