The Truth Perspective: The Rainy Season… and the Stakes of National Security
Ibrahim Shaglawi
The current situation has turned the delay of this year’s rainy season into a major challenge that goes beyond climate and reaches the very core of national security, given its direct connection to food security, stability, and the state’s ability to manage recovery.
Amid weakened agricultural infrastructure affected by attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, disrupted supply chains, rising production costs, and the consequences of climate change, our country today faces a real test in safeguarding its food security and restoring the effectiveness of its post-war economy.
In the face of these challenges, the state has begun taking practical steps to secure the agricultural season in an effort to move from crisis management to field-based solutions. In this context, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Professor Essam Qurashi visited the Tokar Delta Project on Saturday, accompanied by the Governor of the Red Sea State, reaffirming the importance of addressing production imbalances at their source. Discussions on restructuring the project’s administration, tackling the mesquite problem, providing machinery, and strengthening agricultural extension services confirm that the agricultural crisis is not merely a matter of financing, but rather the result of accumulated institutional and structural problems that have weakened the role of agricultural projects.
These efforts coincide with the Ministry of Finance’s announcement of the establishment of a banking finance portfolio exceeding three trillion Sudanese pounds to ensure the success of the agricultural season, with the participation of the Central Bank, commercial banks, and the Agricultural Bank. This is an important step because it shifts agricultural financing from seasonal improvisation to a more organized framework, particularly through the state’s assumption of part of the agricultural insurance risks, its support for small producers, and the linking of financing to production value chains.
These developments complement what we previously presented in #The_Truth_Perspective, in the article “Our Food Security Under Siege,” where we emphasized the need to treat the agricultural season as a national emergency, and to establish a joint mechanism bringing together the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Irrigation, and the banking sector to ensure the provision of production inputs and monitor the season through to its conclusion. Today, the establishment of the government’s financing portfolio represents an important step in the right direction. However, it still requires a strict monitoring system that guarantees resources reach producers and transforms financing from a decision on paper into actual production within agricultural projects.
The real challenge lies not only in providing resources but also in how quickly they can be translated into productive outcomes, especially given the limited time remaining before the start of the season. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a national executive mechanism with clear authority, bringing together government institutions, the banking sector, and producing states to oversee the daily flow of financing and production inputs while addressing any field-level obstacles.
The success of the agricultural season also requires an effective partnership with the private sector and regional and international organizations concerned with agriculture and climate, in addition to the role of development media in raising awareness and providing information to farmers.
The financial portfolio represents an important beginning, but ensuring its success requires a rapid and integrated emergency management system capable of transforming decisions into production and making agriculture a pillar of national recovery and stability.
However, the greater challenge is that the equation of the agricultural season is no longer merely financial. Climate has become a key factor in determining the future of production. Recent indicators point to a clear shift in the pattern of the rainy season in Sudan and East Africa, with the onset of effective rainfall arriving later than in previous years, while the heaviest rainfall is now concentrated during August and September, whereas the season previously depended largely on rainfall in June and July.
According to experts, this shift is not merely a natural variation but necessitates a comprehensive review of water management and agricultural policies.
Sudan’s hydrological system is directly influenced by the timing of rainfall over the Ethiopian Highlands, the flow schedules of the Blue and White Niles, and the operation of Sudanese reservoirs. Consequently, continuing to manage the agricultural season according to outdated climate patterns may create a gap between government planning and the country’s new hydrological reality.
This highlights the importance of rethinking the management of the hydrological year, improving early warning systems, updating reservoir operating rules, and linking agricultural decisions to modern climate information. Likewise, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) remains part of this equation, as the timing of its annual filling should correspond to actual hydrological conditions in a way that avoids harming the water flows required by Sudan, particularly at the beginning of the agricultural season.
The rainy season in Sudan is no longer an issue that concerns farmers alone; it has become a matter of national security and of social, economic, and political stability. Weak agricultural production means higher food prices, increased dependence on imports, and greater pressure on citizens, while a successful season represents an opportunity to strengthen recovery, reduce the effects of war, and rebuild the national economy.
According to #The_Truth_Perspective, Sudan’s next battle will not be fought only on the battlefields, but also in its fields, dams, and production centers. A state that succeeds in managing its water resources, securing its food supply, and supporting its producers possesses a stronger foundation for restoring its vitality. Therefore, the coming rainy season is not merely a season of rainfall, but a test of the state’s ability to transform challenges into opportunities and move from managing the consequences of crisis toward building a more stable developmental future.
Wishing you continued health and well-being.
Sunday, July 12, 2026
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