Agriculture in the Sudan Economy

  • 38% of total GDP
  • 80% of the non-oil export earnings
  • 70% labor force
  • 80% of population depend on agriculture for their livelihoods

ARC Profile

  • The principal research arm of the government on agriculture
  • Rich heritage of AR (> 100 years).
  • Research scope: Field and hort. Crops, Forestry,  natural resources and socio-economics
  • 24 National Programs, embodied in 4 research themes.
  • 14 research centers and 27 research stations
  • Research staff 610 (>300 PhDs)

Research Centers

  1. Land and Water Research Center
  2. Integrated Pest Management Research Center
  3. Cereals Research Center
  4. Oil Crops Research Center
  5. Horticulture Research Center
  6. Legumes Crops Research Center
  7. Cotton and Fibre Crops Center
  8. Plant Biotechnology and Biosafety Research Center
  9. Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources  Conservation and Research Center
  10. Socioeconomics and Policy Analysis Center
  11. Dry Land Research Center
  12. Forestry Research center
  13. Variety maintenance and Breeders Seed Center
  14. Agricultural Engineering Research Center

Research Stations

Region

Stations

Northern Sudan Dongula, Marwe, Shendi, Hudaiba, Hamdab
Khartoum Area Shambat, Soba
Irrigated Central Clay Plains Medani, Sinnar, Suki, Halfa, Rahad, Maatug, Kosti
Rainfed  Central Cay Plains  Damazin, Gadarif, AbuNaama, Kadugli
Western Savana Regions Elobied, Nyala, Fashir, Deieen, Zalingi, Elfoula, Elginaina ,
Spate Irrigation Toker, Kassala

Research Programs

Research is organized in commodity programs and cross-cutting programs, addressing 4 themes areas:

 

  1. Sustainable crop production
  2. Natural Resources management.
  3. Agricultural socioeconomics and policy analysis
  4. Knowledge management and Up scaling

National Technical Committees

there are three committees entrusted with the approval and release of new technologies:

  1. The National Variety Release Committee (NVRC)
  2. The National Crop Husbandry Committee (NCHC)
  3. The National Pests and Diseases Committee (NPDC)

Collaboration & Partnership

ARC has links and cooperation with various institutions that have an interest in agricultural research  at national,regional and international levels.

Chronology of Achievements

1950s

ARC saved the Sudan’s cotton from total extinction due to leaf curl virus  disease and bacterial  blight by breeding resistant  cotton varieties.

1960s

ARC laid down the basis for intensive & diverse farming systems through development and dissemination of production packages adapted to different ecological zones. 

1970s

Expansion of Wheat production into hot  dry environments: ARC with ICRDA, CIMMYT and Global 2000 has developed heat tolerant varieties  adaptable to hot conditions of the Sudan.

1980s

With support from FAO and the Netherlands, ARC implemented a program for development and application of IPM in cotton, which resulted in reduction of sprayings from 9-14 to 2-3 per season.The release of 1st Sorghum hybrid in SSA in cooperation with ICRISAT & INSORMIL

1990s

Development and dissemination of two improved sorghum varieties: Wad Ahmed and Tabat, still dominating the sorghum production areas in irrigated, rainfed traditional and mechanized farming subsectors. 

2000s

A number of new varieties  and hybrids of high yield and high quality in field , horticultural  and forage crops, suitable for irrigated and rain-fed agriculture, have been developed by ARC. Development has focused on crops that are tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses

2010s

The cotton variety “Sini 1”: the first ever genetically modified crop released in Sudan is expected to raise the stagnant or falling cotton  productivity. 

2012s

ARC with support from ASARECA won the fight against striga with the release of the first ever Striga resistant cultivars in Africa: ( ASARECA-T, ASARECA-W, ASARECA-G1 , ASARECA-G2 ). They are expected to boost sorghum productivity and enhance farmers’ income and food security in the region

Human resources

Research Assistant

Researcher

Assistant Professor

Co-professor

professor

Workers

Technicians

Employees