Sudan enrolled in World Bank ”Enabling the Business of Agriculture” for the first time
May 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The World Bank, in partnership with the Sudanese ministries of agriculture and finance and economic planning, launched on Monday the 2016 Enabling the Business of Agriculture report under the title “Comparing Regulatory Good Practices”
“The report provides Sudan with a valuable analysis and considerable advice, and we are looking forward to working with all partners to handle the basic issues raised by the report,” said the Sudanese Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Ibrahim al-Dokhairy.
The agricultural and animal resources sectors contribution ranges between 30 to 35% of Sudan’s Gross National Product (GNP), 80% of the non-oil exports and a source of living for around 65% of the population, according to the press release.
The report stated that 80% of the poor people live in rural areas, where the poverty rate estimated to be more than the double of that in the urban areas.
“With most of the poor in the rural areas relying directly or indirectly on agriculture, the growth of this sector is a necessity to alleviate poverty and enhance joint welfare” the report added.
On his part, the World Bank representative in Sudan, Xavier Furtado, has affirmed commitment to support the Sudanese efforts to invest in agriculture.
He said” the Bank hopes the outcome of the Enabling the Business of Agriculture report would contribute to useful reforms and a stronger consensus on the required job to overcome the obstacles that face the agricultural activity in the country”.
The report is part of the World Bank technical assistance to agriculture in Sudan. It also included a wide-scale study on agriculture and management of natural resources.
Once hoped to be the breadbasket of the Arab world, Sudan’s agricultural sector has continued to deteriorate over the years mainly as a result of negligence, drought, mismanagement, high taxes and the overall economic climate.
(ST)