Sudan: Eastern Sudan farmers adopt potato farming amid hunger crisis
In Eastern Sudan, amidst a backdrop of conflict and a severe hunger crisis affecting over half the nation’s population, farmers in New Halfa have adopted potato and sweet potato cultivation to bolster food production.
This shift comes in response to improved rainfall and the support of international organizations, leading to the planting of 180 hectares of potatoes this winter, with an anticipated yield of over 1,200 tons.
Despite the utilization of less than a third of Sudan’s arable land, the strategic choice of potatoes and sweet potatoes is notable. These crops are recognized for their rapid maturation, drought tolerance, and high nutritional value, requiring less water than cereals and yielding substantially more food per hectare. Additionally, sweet potato vines provide a critical source of livestock feed, addressing both the water crisis and grazing conflicts in the region.
The International Potato Center (CIP) plays a pivotal role in this agricultural shift, offering potato seeds, sweet potato vines, agricultural training, and establishing farmer field schools through the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan (SASAS) project funded by USAID. Infrastructure enhancements, including cold storage units and silage silos, further support this initiative, alongside a tissue culture lab and screen house in Kassala City for disease-free planting materials.
This approach echoes CIP’s commitment to leveraging potato and sweet potato farming as emergency relief in regions marred by disaster and conflict, aiming to mitigate the impact of the ongoing crisis on Sudan’s food security.
Source: CIP
Fuente: https://www.freshplaza.com/latin-america/article/9675153/eastern-sudan-farmers-adopt-potato-farming-amid-hunger-crisis/
