What are the guidelines of your policy in terms of increasing the cultivated area and productivity in Sudan?
First of all, let me mention that we are one of the three major countries in the world with the potential to solve the insufficiency in food production for the benefit of the whole world. We hope that the third struggle in the world will not be on food or water. We have fertile land, we have satisfactory water resources, diversified climatic conditions and we have integrated agriculture and animal farming together. In spite of that, there are a lot of challenges which must be solved before we could be ready to produce enough food in different kinds not only for the need of Sudanese people and not only for the neighboring countries but to the whole world. We need to use more improved seeds and fertilizers to increase the productivity, rather than to expand the cultivated area, to introduce new products like oil and to introduce advanced technology in agriculture.
We must also open the agriculture sector to investment, and to put in more money, technology, and expertise so as to efficiently utilize our resources. All these are important means and ways by which we can overcome the present obstacles. So, there are financial, technological and infrastructural impediments that are hindering the proper use of our resources.
The former agriculture minister said that the policies seeking for food self sufficiency were wrong and doomed to failure in today's global economy. Do you agree with that statement?
Yes, I do. Our aim and potential are not only for food security. Africa has a proper approach to investment and very good support from the developed world, the rest can come from the Arab world and Sudanese investors. We are now preparing ourselves for a new revolution to come out with Sudan potentialities to satisfy our needs and to share with people outside. So we are open; we are adopting a free market policy, free business approach for all the people. We do not care who the investor is, but what he will do, and how he will do it.
What are the major crops you would like to specialize?
Before you go to what type of crops our country is best suited to produce, according to our climatic conditions, needs or economical value of the product, as I have said before, we have to set the ground ready for production. Next the suitable area in Sudan for food security in cereal or oil production or sugar production and cotton, these are important areas. Sudan can produce a lot of vegetable oil, sugar, cotton and vegetables and this could be throughout the year because we have different climatic regions in this huge country.
Would it be possible for Sudanese agriculture sector to expand on those areas that have high value for export?
Yes, we will go for these high value export. This is a very big country with different climatic zones, enough water resources and we can have a multi-approach for multi-products, and so we can succeed in many areas.
You mentioned before twice that Sudan has a lot of water resources, but the truth is that the Nile water is being underexploited according to the Nile-based water agreement signed in 1959, what are your plan to maximize the use of Nile water in order to irrigate more areas?
You know this is a sensitive subject. It is not only the two countries that have deep interest in the Nile water, but also other Nile countres like Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and so on. Last month the ministers of irrigation from all these countries met here in Khartoum and agreed together to utilize water from River Nile for the benefit of all and to make better use of these resources. In spite of the huge amount of water in the River Nile, we have a lot of other resources like underground and other small rivers in different areas that can add a significant amount of water.
| Sudan's first research center for agriculture was established in Shambat in 1904. How important is this center?
There are a lot of experts in the agricultural area. There are a lot of advanced curricula in universities, institutes and we are enhancing research in this area. In spite of that, we realize that we are still below the proper standards we are aiming at and which we know from our relations outside in Europe and in different countries. We are opening our research institutes and we are facilitating contacts between our experts especially in agricultural fields and their peers worldwide through different organization such as the FAO. We realize the importance of information technology to our country. We need to be in contact with the rest of the world and need more up-to-date agricultural technology than the one we have.
It is well-know that Sudan still depends on agriculture. 90% of the population relies on this sector. In this context , what could be the contribution of the Asian countries in further modernizing the Sudanese agriculture?
We have a close relation with Asian people and Asian countries in oil, communication, power and different areas. The second element is that there is trust between our Government, our people and the Asian continent. At least they didn't colonize Sudan! Britons came from very far away to Sudan to take our resources and went out. There is nothing now that could show that the British people lived in Sudan, but you can speak about AL HAMRA, Ghornata civilizations. You can speak also about the transfer of civilization from the upward during that time when Europe stood in the black days. I think from Asia we actually need technology. Also we can speak about technology transfer in different areas and financing help that can be put as fuels, marketing, mechanization in different areas. The technology for that area is perfect, cheap and sufficient to our area, even the climatic area . So, Asian people can be of great benefit to the country, and especially now that we are developing a new revolution in agriculture.
What main incentives would you be granting to Asian investors involved in agriculture?
Beside our concession agreemnts that are very important and stimulating, we invite people to invest in Sudan, we have almost a virgin land untouched, fertile that may be chemically free for production and there is no othere area of the world today to have production that is almost chemically free. We have integrated resources with our animal husbandry production together, we have different climatic zones to produce so many varieties, we are in a unique position in communication with African countries whether in east Africa or west Africa, Arab world or red sea.
Do you believe Sudan is ready to face the challenges of integration and globalization?
The COMESA market is a comsumer market of more than three hundred million people , and opportunities abound among all the countries, provided that there is intensity in the production and in the quality. We also have to use technology and to add input to our manufacturing capability. Yes, we can face these challenges because we are already engaged in this regional movement and we have now almost zero tariff. The only thing in front of us is to increase our productivity day by day and then to get an added value by processing.
Note: World Investment News Ltd cannot be held responsible for the content of unedited transcriptions. |
V.I.P. INTERVIEWS 
