Irrigation

Resettled for Development : The Case of New Halfa Agricultural Scheme, Sudan

Upphovsperson:	Wallin, Marianna
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Urban Dynamics | Uppsala, Sweden
År:	2014
Ämnesord:	Sudan, New Halfa, Agricultural development, Resettlement, Irrigation, Living conditions, Nubians, Pastoralists, Nomads

This Current African Issues discusses the displacement and resettlement of the Sudanese Nubians into the New Halfa agricultural scheme in Eastern Sudan, the current state of this multi-ethnic community and the challenges the farmers are facing. The Nubians of Wadi Halfa in Northern Sudan (also called the Halfawi Nubians) had to be relocated to New Halfa due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the early 1960s. In addition to the loss of ancestral land and the alienation they experienced, the Halfawi Nubians struggled to secure a sufficient livelihood in New Halfa and found their lives irreversibly altered. Although the resettlement of the Nubians did not succeed in rooting them in their new territory and a lot of the Halfawi Nubians have since abandoned the scheme, New Halfa has also created unforeseen opportunities for internally displaced people and migrant workers and become a growing regional centre for business and commerce. Despite the fact that New Halfa failed to meet its original targets, it is an example of a resettlement scheme that, in 50 years, developed and adjusted according to the needs of its current inhabitants.

Current Status of Agriculture and Future Challenges in Sudan

Upphovsperson:	Mahgoub, Farida
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Agrarian Change, Property and Resources | Uppsala, Sweden
År:	2014
Ämnesord:	Sudan, Agricultural projects, Water resources, Water management, Irrigation, Agricultural development, Food security, Climate change

Urbanisation and long-lasting civil wars and conflict mean that the demographic pattern in Sudan is changing drastically. Nevertheless, 60%–80 % of Sudanese engage in subsistence agriculture. Agriculture remains a crucial sector in the economy as a major source of rawmaterials, food and foreign exchange. It employs the majority of the labour force, and serves as a potential vehicle for diversifyingthe economy. However, no rigorous studies have explained productivity in this sector inrelation to food security. The situation has worsened because agriculture in particular has been neglected sincethe advent of oil production in the early 2000s. Moreover, Sudan’s agricultural growth has been unbalanced, with the majority of irrigated agriculture concentrated in the Centre and ahuge disparity in development indicators between the best- and worst-performing regions. Thus, studies show that the vast majority of Sudanese are reported to be food insecure,especially internally displaced persons and in conflict regions such as Darfur, Kordofan and other regions.