Agriculture Rainfed
Er. Omer Hassan Sakin Ahmed
Although, the importance of agricultural sector in both national and economy {Gross Domestic Production (GDP)} has not been well realized by discission makers as well as ministry of finance. It is affirmatively recognized by UN Organization, community and private sector. Meanwhile, the feature of Sudan is formed up and decorated by agricultural activities, besides, agro-pastralist and nomadic pastoralist, which is simply resembling the pillar of Sudanese economy.
More than 89% of the land that have been cultivated in Sudan are descended over arid and semi-arid zones. But the traditional system of plantation that has been prevalent among the growers in rainfed regions, directly affected the activities in such sector as well as lessen the crops productivity, which in a good condition cannot exceed the subsistence level.
Moreover, the highest numbers of population inhibit in rainfed area, which has a main role in food security; as sources of livelihood. Also, around 75 percent of workers reaping benefit from it before traditional mining of gold emerge. Approximately, 17,800,000 ha. was placed in rainfed zone out of 20,000,000 ha. of arable land. Notwithstanding, it has production that as lowest as countries that have rainfed area marked by same topography of soil and climate, but fully mechanized. The productivity in such area varied, Al-Gedarif for instance, currently produce around 250,000 Metric Tons of sesame, 18,000,000 Sacks of Sorghum, 2,00,000 Metric Tone of Sudanese Gum Arabic. In spite of fluctuation rate of rain; due to climate change. In addition to, the report of world bank (09/08/2021 Climate Change in Sudan) showed that, the deterioration of production in agriculture rainfed refer to several factor. Thus, lack of investment, rapid increasing of population density, aging infrastructure, absences of applicable strategies, floods that coincide with droughts due to variable rainfall. Let alone lack of agricultural mechanization.
So far, research has been conducted by scientist from University of Gezira, {Ahmed M. A. et.al. April 2022, (Farmers of Agricultural Mechanization in Rainfed Sector, Gedarif State, Sudan)} they stated that, rainfed area in such state estimated to be more than 9 million ha., consider to be a largest one in the country, producing about 25% Millet, 60% Sorghum, and 35% Sudanese Gum Arabic, 50% Sesames and other crops. The improvement of productivity nowadays crucially important to meet rapidly increasing demands for agricultural products locally and overseas. It requires highly intensive agriculture, proper utilization of agricultural inputs, adequate numbers of agricultural machineries, equipment’s and implement’s. Besides, approved seed with desirable market.
{The cultivation of Sesames in Agriculture Rainfed Area (Traditional System) Field of Er. Ammar Abdalla Suliman, Al-Gaderif State, Sudan).}
By and large, the term of precision farming or precision agriculture (as define by Ojas Rahate1 and Yash Khandekar, Precision Agriculture And Its Scenario In India, 2018) need to be understood and applied by producers as a technical information and farm management system to identify, analyze and manage spatial and temporal variability within fields for optimum productivity, profitability, sustainability and protection of the land resource (in terms of soil and water conservation) by minimizing the production costs. In addition to addressing publicly the issues of environmental consciousness is necessitating us to modify agricultural management practices for sustainable conservation of natural resources such as water, air and soil quality, while staying economically profitable, the use of inputs as well (chemical fertilizers and pesticides) based on the right quantity, at the right time, and in the right place. This type of management is commonly known as “Site-Specific Management”. The productivity gain in global food supply would be increased, if we expand in water harvesting and improve the irrigation system at irrigated schemes. Since, more than a third of the world’s food nowadays requiring supplementary irrigation for production. All-together, market-based global competition in agricultural products is challenging economic viability of the traditional agricultural systems, and requires the development of new and dynamic production systems.