IFAD in the Sudan:



IFAD supports the efforts of the Government of the Sudan to improve the living conditions, income and productivity of rural poor people as part of a comprehensive development and peace-building process. In particular, as the country emerges from civil war, the principal aim of IFAD’s work is to tackle issues that underlie conflict and aggravate poverty by promoting support for the agricultural sector, improved land reforms, equitable distribution of resources, participation of local communities in decision-making and poor people’s access to water and land.



In line with current government policy to decentralize local government, IFAD’s programme in the Sudan helps empower local communities, protect and assert traditional rights to resources, and promote good local governance. Empowering local management of land and water rights is an important feature of IFAD-funded projects.



All of IFAD’s projects in the Sudan feature community-based and community-driven processes, working with local people to ensure food security and income from agriculture within a framework of sustainable natural resource management. Establishing self-reliance is an essential aim of all projects. Community members are encouraged to form organizing groups to manage newly introduced credit services. The projects tend to bring together a broad range of community members representing different socio-economic groups, and they actively involve women in the development process.



Projects financed by IFAD have helped increase agricultural production and provide crucial infrastructure. Through women-oriented activities, in recent years projects have worked to ensure representation of women in grass-roots organizations and on project management teams.



IFAD’s programme will continue to target rural poor people in the rainfed sector. where it is possible to reach a larger number of households than in the irrigation rehabilitation sector — at a more affordable cost. Rainfed agriculture is less dependent on imports for equipment and produces high value export crops and livestock, contributing more to foreign-exchange earnings.