Dukhairi: $10 Billion in Losses for Sudan’s Agriculture and Livestock Sector

The Director General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, Professor Ibrahim Adam Dukhairi, called on international organizations participating in the regional forum on accelerating food systems transformation in the Arab region to promptly intervene in the agricultural season of conflict-affected nations. The organizations involved include the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the World Food Program (WFP).

Addressing the fifth session of the regional forum, Dukhairi discussed the food systems in the least developed Arab countries and those affected by conflicts. He highlighted the severe challenges that conflict-affected Arab countries face in transforming their food systems. Dukhairi provided an overview of food security in conflict areas, explaining that the agricultural sector in these regions has suffered significant damage due to armed conflicts and ongoing economic crises. He estimated that since the outbreak of war in April 2023, Sudan’s agriculture and livestock sector has sustained around $10 billion in losses. Due to insecurity, the area of rain-fed crops has dwindled to just 14 million acres, while wheat production is expected to reach only 300,000 acres by 2024.