International Development: Sudan launches agricultural project to combat poverty - again!

Excuse me if I don't get too excited by this news - just put it down to the fact that I am a cynical old bastard.

Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir has inaugurated a large agricultural project designed to feed the country and combat poverty.

Bashir described the project as "a realization of an old dream of the Sudanese people," and expressed hope that it would "help combat poverty in the country."

The Sundos Agricultural project, will cover 100,000 acres (40500 hectares) of land across three states of Khartoum, the White Nile and Gezeera. Sudanese company Eastern Jebel-Awlia and the China Engineering CO.LTD (CAMC) are the contractors.

The project plan was first put forward in 1993, but was allegedly delayed due to the economic embargo imposed by the United States and the north-south civil war.

Back in 1999, First Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, announced a decision of the Presidency to purchase farms at Sundus, a 110,000acre agricultural scheme at Jebel Awlia, at the cost of LS two billion "for the purpose of helping the poor categories in the society."

He was addressing a celebration organized by Eastern Jabal Awlia Company Limited, at the Railway Station in Khartoum, for the arrival of 12 irrigation pumps built by a Chinese firm.

The previous year, the Task Force On Terrorism & Unconventional Warfare reported, "Anticipating large volume production, the Sudanese authorities and the Iraqi experts also began the construction of well protected underground storage sites south of Jebel Awlia (White Nile Province)"

Let's hope this new announcement means the project finally gets off the ground and achieves Bashir's promise to feed the country and combat poverty.

Let's hope too, that I am wrong in thinking that in ten years time, I will still be writing articles about poverty in the Sudan.

Footnote: Alternative spellings: Jebel Awlia; Jebel Aulia; Jabal al Awliya