Africa suffers from one of the harshest paradoxes in the world. While rivers flow, fertile fields stretch as far as the eye can see, and seasons vary across the continent, these natural resources have become a heavy burden on a continent that possesses more than 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, yet spends more than $80 billion annually on food imports.
These figures highlight the scale of the worsening humanitarian crisis. Discussions at one of the agricultural forums revealed that more than 300 million people across Africa are threatened by hunger, representing nearly 20 percent of the continent’s population.
A Living Example
According to a report by Al Jazeera Media Network, Sudan represents a living example of this “tragic paradox.”
The report added that the country, once viewed as a potential breadbasket for Africa, has seen vast parts of its land transformed into war zones and conflict areas, while drought has struck other regions.
Agricultural experts believe that Sudan’s farming crisis is linked less to resource scarcity and more to poor planning and unstable agricultural policies.
One agricultural expert stressed that the crisis lies in the absence of a clear agricultural policy that protects farmers, guides agricultural research, and supports exports and agro-industrial development, instead of leaving farmers to struggle alone without technological support or adequate agricultural research.
Repercussions of Regional Crises
From another perspective, the report pointed to the impact of regional crises on agricultural production. Between ports affected by disruptions to Red Sea shipping routes and rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, the agricultural production cycle has been severely disrupted, causing fertilizer prices in some areas to jump from around $10 per sack to $50.
The effects of the war in Ukraine have also heavily impacted Sudan’s agricultural sector, with fuel prices tripling as a result. At the same time, the United Nations says that around 20 million people in Sudan are facing acute food insecurity.
Despite these challenges, the Sudanese government is betting on an ambitious plan aimed at cultivating 25 million feddans of land.
Fears of Failure
Khartoum hopes this plan will restore part of Sudan’s historic agricultural role, but experts warn that the ongoing war continues to cast a shadow over both the land and its people, threatening to derail any agricultural efforts before they even begin.
Since the outbreak of war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, Sudanese cities have turned into battlefields and corridors for displacement.
The conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, the displacement of millions, and the transformation of millions more into lines of hungry and homeless people living in remote areas without water, electricity, or healthcare services.
