Agricultural potential of south Sudan and the role of crop production in socio-economic development of the people

Abstract EN

Southern Sudan with a population density of about 7-8 persons per km2 had an area of 648,051 km2, 75% of which is fertile for agricultural production.

It is divided into 7 ecological regions (the Green Belt, the Ironstone Plateau, the Central Hills, the Mountain Slopes and Hills, the South Eastern Plains, the Flood Region and the Central Rain lands).

Each of the regions has different soil characteristics, rainfall, topography and agricultural potential.

The Green Belt, which produces a variety of annual crops (maize, millets, groundnuts, yams, cassava, upland rice etc.) and perennial crops (coffee, oil palm, mango, pineapple, citrus etc.) is the most productive region.

The Ironstone Plateau and the Central Hills produce mainly, drought resistant annual crops such as bulrush millet, sorghum and cassava.

Perennial crops such as mango, papaws, citrus etc can also be grown but to attain good yields may require supplementary irrigation.

The availability of dry season water is a major problem in these two regions.

The food Plains have the problem of water-logging and other environmental hazards (drought, diseases, pests etc) and therefore suitable for livestock production.

The high ground of the Flood Plains can however, be used for growing maize, sorghum, groundnuts and sesame and the toich can be utilized for growing maize and vegetables in the dry season.

The agricultural development of the Flood Plains will depend on technological development in hydrology.

In the Mountain Slopes and Hills, maize, millets, tobacco, fruit and vegetables can be below the villages and in areas 1000mm a.s.l, coffee Arabica, tea, potatoes and cool season vegetables (cabbage, kale, carrots, onion etc.) and fruits (passion fruits, pear, apple, avocado etc) can be grown.

The South Eastern Plain near the Kenyan border has arid climate with low rainfall (100mm).

Crop production is less important; raising livestock is predominant with little cultivation of drought resistant sorghum.

It is envisaged that crop production can play a great role in Southern Sudan's economy as source of income and employment for rural people, promotion of agriculturally-based industries, and reduction of government expenditure, source of government finance and provision of off-farm jobs.

To enhance these great improvements is required to transform the tradition subsistence farming predominant in Southern Sudan into modern forms through the recommendations suggested in this paper.