Port sudan: The city of Port Sudan on Tuesday witnessed the signing of a grant agreement provided by the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to implement a development-oriented agricultural project in River Nile State. The project is valued at $3 million and will run for two years.
According to Sudan News Agency, the signing took place in the presence of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Fatima Rahma, River Nile State Minister of Agriculture Eng. Salah-Eddin Ali Mohamed, Japan's Charg© d'Affaires in Sudan Mr. Nakahara, and JICA Sudan Office Director Mr. Kubo. Also attending were Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture Eng. Babiker Hassan and representatives of FAO's technical team.
The project targets support for 19 irrigated schemes in River Nile State through an integrated package of interventions, including rehabilitation and maintenance of irrigation systems, and provision of seeds for summer crops such as sorghum and winter crops such as fava beans and lentils, in addition to vegetables including tomatoes, okra, and carrots.
It also focuses on enhancing certified seed production for selected crops with comparative advantage in the state, alongside capacity-building through training of engineering and technical personnel in the irrigation and agriculture sectors.
The agreement marks the official launch of the project, with the Ministry of Agriculture serving as the main implementing partner through the state ministry and the Hudeiba Research Station, in coordination with the JICA project team operating in the state for several years. The initiative builds on previous cooperation efforts between the two sides in supporting the agricultural sector.
The project is expected to improve agricultural productivity, enhance water-use efficiency, and support farmers' livelihoods, thereby strengthening food security in the state.