$5 Million from FAO to Rehabilitate the Livestock Sector in Al-Jazirah State

Mr. Murtada Al-Bili, Secretary-General of the Al-Jazirah State Government, praised Qatari funding for the rehabilitation of the Al-Huyuwa irrigation system in South Al-Jazirah locality, which benefits 30 villages by irrigating 35,000 feddans.

During his meeting today with a delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) led by Mr. Abdelrahman Ali Ishaq, Al-Bili welcomed the opening of the FAO office in the state. He announced that all the state’s capabilities and resources would be made available to facilitate the work of organizations, and called for setting a timeline for implementing programs and projects to support the state government’s efforts to boost production and support producers.

For his part, the head of the FAO delegation noted the organization’s shift from providing humanitarian aid to supporting development. He stated that FAO is working with production partners in the state government and the ministries of agriculture and irrigation to advance the agricultural sector. He highlighted that the Qatari funding aims to rehabilitate the Al-Huyuwa irrigation infrastructure with $5 million and to rebuild the livestock herd. He emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to make this initiative successful and attract further funding. He also mentioned ongoing preparations for surveys and studies on the destruction in the agricultural and livestock sectors in the Gezira Scheme.

Engineer Mohamed Al-Amin Youssef, representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, noted that FAO has been working in Sudan for many years and that the country is now ready to welcome international and regional donors and partners.

Dr. Arefa Mahmoud, Director-General of the Ministry of Production and Economic Resources and acting minister in the state, affirmed that FAO has contributed to food security both before and during the war by providing seeds and production inputs in safe states.

Mr. Asaad Al-Sirr, Commissioner of Humanitarian Aid in the state, stated that this initiative will support the state’s efforts in normalization, reconstruction, and development, transforming citizens into productive contributors.