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
- Land and Water Research Center
- Integrated Pest Management Research Center
- Cereals Research Center
- Oil Crops Research Center
- Horticulture Research Center
- Legumes Crops Research Center
- Cotton and Fibre Crops Center
- Plant Biotechnology and Biosafety Research Center
- Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and Research Center
- Socioeconomics and Policy Analysis Center
- Dry Land Research Center
- Forestry Research center
- Variety maintenance and Breeders Seed Center
- 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:
- Sustainable crop production
- Natural Resources management.
- Agricultural socioeconomics and policy analysis
- Knowledge management and Up scaling
National Technical Committees
there are three committees entrusted with the approval and release of new technologies:
- The National Variety Release Committee (NVRC)
- The National Crop Husbandry Committee (NCHC)
- 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