AfDB to fund US$100M wheat production project in Sudan to boost food security

SUDAN – Sudan’s agricultural sector is set to receive a much-needed boost as the African Development Bank (AfDB) announced it would grant $100 million to finance the second phase of a wheat production project.

The move aims to address the nation’s food security concerns, which have worsened due to ongoing conflict.

Sudan relies heavily on wheat imports to meet domestic demand, a situation made worse by the conflict, which has disrupted supply chains and displaced farmers from critical agricultural areas.

In March, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that Sudan’s grain production had fallen by 46% year-on-year due to the violent clashes and instability that have plagued many parts of the country.

As a result, inflationary pressures have grown, further straining access to basic commodities, including grains.

The African Development Bank’s financing will enable the continuation of a wheat project originally launched in 2022.

The second phase will be implemented by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) next year, according to Finance Undersecretary Mohamed Bashar Mohamed.

He noted that the project’s first phase, backed by US$76.8 million from the AfDB, helped distribute climate-adapted wheat seeds and fertilizers to over 170,000 smallholder farmers.

In June, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) reported a staggering 70% increase in wheat production in Sudan over the past year.

According to the report, the country produced 645,000 metric tonnes of wheat this year, providing crucial support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), with more than 30% of beneficiaries in the Northern State being IDPs.

The 645,000 metric tonnes of wheat yield met 22% of Sudan’s total wheat consumption needs, with farmers reporting an average 44% increase in productivity per hectare compared to the previous season.

“This wheat production project became the heart of production at a critical moment in Sudan. Anchored on earlier game-changing wheat projects, it provided both short-term emergency and humanitarian relief and contributed to long-term resilience building,”said Ms. Mary Monyau, AfDB’s Country Manager for Sudan.

“We are grateful to our development partner, the World Food Programme, for implementing this project and achieving positive outcomes in at least five states, including Gezira, Kassala, River Nile, White Nile, and Northern states, even amidst active conflict,”she added.

On his part, Mr. Eddie Rowe from WFP highlighted the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on Sudan’s agriculture, noting that the country produced only half the wheat it would in a typical year.

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