Sudan: Sudan's Farmers Are Ready to Return - Private Investment Could Get Them There

What the report says

A UN-backed recovery effort in Sudan is trying to draw private investment back into agriculture after the war sharply damaged the economy and cut farm production. According to UN News, the plan was discussed at a three-day dialogue in Khartoum this week, organized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Sudan’s Ministry of Finance. The meeting brought together more than 300 participants from 20 countries, including government officials, financial institutions, private companies, farmers’ groups and trade associations.

UNDP said the talks produced a recovery roadmap for agriculture and highlighted the possibility of nearly $155 million in external investment from countries including Pakistan, India, Türkiye, Egypt and Syria. Officials involved in the dialogue said the focus on private sector engagement is important because it supports most jobs and could help revive farming, trade and market links. The report said some farmers are still producing and goods are still moving in parts of the country, but output has fallen sharply in recent years and many businesses lack capital.

The article said the wider war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has pushed millions toward hunger and displacement. UNDP is also considering tools such as credit guarantees and a warehouse receipt system to help farmers access financing. It is working on trade-related reforms with Sudanese authorities and UN trade experts, while stressing that development needs to restart alongside humanitarian aid.