Al-gadarif: Federal Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Prof. Ismat Gurashi chaired a joint meeting in the conference hall of the Ministry of Production and Economic Resources in Al-Gadarif State, including the State Minister of Production and Economic Resources, Engineer Ammar Abdullah Suleiman, and numbers of officials from both the federal and state ministries.
According to Sudan News Agency, during the meeting, Engineer Ammar Abdullah presented a detailed report on the state’s preparations for the 2025 agricultural season, highlighting the significant potentials of Al-Gadarif and the technical interventions required to ensure the season’s success, including pest control, staff training, and activating the early warning system.
Ammar pointed out that rainfall rates have been promising this year; however, the high cost of agricultural inputs compared to total production poses a major challenge for producers, urging the necessity to support small farmers and provide production inputs at appropriate prices. He underlined the importance of agricultural extension in raising producers’ awareness, explaining that the ministry is working to enhance training programs and build technical capacities to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of plans.
For his part, the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Prof. Ismat Gurashi, praised the efforts of Al-Gadarif State in early preparations for the agricultural season, describing the state as “one of the pivotal states in food production at the national level,” calling for prioritizing it in funding and technical interventions. Gurashi stated that achieving self-sufficiency requires developing agricultural value chains, providing inputs in a timely manner, and adopting flexible policies that enhance sustainability and protect natural resources. He also indicated that the ministry is closely monitoring the challenges of the season in all states and seeks to overcome them through effective partnerships with relevant bodies.
Regarding the forest situation, the assessment revealed real challenges resulting from systematic encroachments, which are heading towards recovery. The Minister pointed to the importance of imposing State prestige and enforcing laws to protect forest cover from violations.
The meeting concluded by underscoring the necessity to develop clear policies for regulating and rationalizing the use of herbicides to preserve the environment and natural resources, alongside enhancing agricultural extension efforts by supporting training programs and building the capacities of technicians. The recommendations also included the importance of providing sufficient quantities of vaccines for animal resources immunization, with emphasis on continuing coordination between the central government and the states to ensure a successful and sustainable agricultural season that keeps pace with challenges and achieves the desired developmental goals.