The natural resource base for agricultural investment in Sudan
The natural resource base for agricultural investment in Sudan:
Sudan is distinguished by the geographical location, as it is located in the heart of the African continent, which makes it a crossing point and an important center for the exchange of goods and services with neighboring countries. It also has huge natural resources and capabilities that include vast arable lands, and abundant water resources from rain, rivers, surface and groundwater, in addition to In addition to the presence of a huge animal wealth that depends on natural pastures, it is also characterized by the presence of forests in addition to the enormous mineral wealth.
Natural Resources Components :
1- Climate and terrain:
The terrain of Sudan in general consists of flat plains and deserts, especially in the northern part of the country, while the savannah plains extend in central and southern Sudan. As for the mountainous heights, they cover a limited area distributed in several regions, the most important of which are the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan and Jebel Marra in the Darfur region in western Sudan and the mountains of The Red Sea is in the eastern part of Sudan. As for the climate, the desert climate prevails in northern Sudan, while the poor and rich savannah climate prevails in western and southern Sudan. .
The period from March to July is characterized by high temperatures, range from 27 to 42 degrees Celsius, while the temperatures decrease during the period from July to October, coinciding with the rains, and the temperatures range during the winter season (November-February) between 16 degrees to 28 degrees Celsius.
2- Area and land uses:
The total arable area in Sudan is about 73.5 million hectares, which is equivalent to about 39.14% of the total geographical area of Sudan, of which about 28.703 million hectares (15.3%) are used for various crops, and about 44.796 million hectares (23.9%) are arable but not independent. The area of forests constitutes about 18 million hectares (9.58%), and the rangeland area is about 48.198 million hectares (25.66%).
3- Livestock:
The livestock in Sudan is estimated at about 108 million heads (according to 2016 estimates) spread in the various states of Sudan, including about 31 million heads of cows, 41 million heads of sheep, 31 million heads of goats, and 4.8 million heads of camels. The area of natural pastures in Sudan is about 48 million hectares, which represents about 25% of the geographical area of Sudan.
4- Water Resources:
Precipitation:
Rain falls in Sudan during the autumn season (July-October), and the amount of rain varies between different regions of Sudan, as it is almost non-existent in the desert regions of northern Sudan, while the rain falls in the semi-desert region between 65-300 mm per year. In central Sudan, where the savannah climate prevails, the average rainfall ranges between 300-800 mm during the summer season, June-October. Rain falls on the Red Sea coast during the winter season (November - February).
Main Rivers and Nile:
The Nile River is considered one of the basic elements in Sudan as it represents the most important sources of water. The Nile River consists of its main tributaries, the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile and its tributaries originate from Lake Tana in Ethiopia, while the White Nile originates from Lake Victoria and crosses into Sudan after crossing the borders of South Sudan and the State of Sudan. Uganda. The Blue Nile and the White Nile meet in Khartoum to form the Nile River, which extends north to the Republic of Egypt. Corresponding to these two sources, many tributaries and creeks flow into it, the most important of which is the Atbara River in northern Sudan.
Dams and water reservoirs:
In Sudan, there are dams and reservoirs to store and store resources for agriculture, electricity, drinking and any other purposes throughout the year. The most important of which are the reservoirs of Roseires, Sennar and Khashm al-Girba, and the capacity of each of them is 3.4, 3.0, and 1.3 billion cubic meters, respectively. The Merowe Dam has also been constructed in the state of the main Nile River, the most important of which is to provide electricity for agricultural uses.
