Agriculture Minister addresses in El- Fasher first Regional Agricultural Forum

The Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Abu Bakr Omar Al-Bushra, addressed today in El-Fasher, capital of North Darfur state, the inauguration of the first Regional Agricultural Forum organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the government of Darfur region under the slogan ” Agriculture for Peace” sponsored by the Governor Darfur region, Minni Arko Minawi.

The  Agriculture Minister stressed the importance of the state moving towards modern agriculture to increase production and productivity, given that traditional agriculture, despite its contribution to achieving food security for citizens, did not bring about the desired development in the country.

He stressed that the way out for Sudan from its economic crises, which it is going through, except by relying on agriculture, indicating in this regard that Sudan currently owns an area of (175) million acres of arable land, of which more than (55) million acres are in the Darfur region alone, adding that 90% of the population of Sudan practice the profession of agriculture, where small farmers represent 80% of that percentage.

In Dr. Al-Bushra announced a number of benefits for the agricultural sector in Darfur, pointing to the localization of the production of improved seeds to avoid delay of arrival in Darfur, combating agricultural pests, and supporting the cultivation of the millet crop, indicating that the important decision is the banning of import of oranges produced in Sudan throughout the year, urging the regional government to deal decisively with the illegal cutting of forests.

The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the regional government, Salah Hamid al-Wali, said that the organization of the forum came within the framework of the regional government concern and endeavor to address the challenges facing the agricultural

sector in Darfur region and to support sustainable development efforts, declaring his ministry’s intention to train workers in the agricultural sector internally and externally to raise their professional competence to be able to contribute to increasing production and productivity.

He pointed out the agricultural pests as the biggest challenges facing agricultural activity in Darfur, calling for the need to support agricultural projects to achieve food security and societal peace.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture in the state of North Darfur, Dr. Enaam Ismail Abdullah, referred in her address to the opening of Regional Agricultural Forum  that the agricultural activity in Darfur Region based on the traditional rain-fed system, which she said led to low levels of production and productivity due to fluctuating amounts of rain, in addition to the presence of agricultural pests and weeds, stressing that the policy of the Ministry of Agriculture is based on increasing production and productivity in order to achieve food security and self-sufficiency