Prospects and constraints of desert agriculture: lessons from West Omdurman

Sudan is the largest country in Africa with an area of about 2.5 million km2; the country hosts a population of about 31 million people. About two-thirds of the country area is located within arid and semi-arid regions. Recently, especially during the last half of the previous century, these regions were subject to various forms of land degradation. This paper discusses the general prospects and constraints of desert agriculture. It also presents a detailed case study of West Omdurman, which is located in a semi-desert climatic zone. The ambitious plans to utilise the area for agricultural production were initiated because of the relatively fertile soil, availability of water and the proximity of the area to marketing and export centres. The paper discusses the different land use systems experienced in the area, reasons for failure are identified and possible remedies discussed. In addition, constraints facing the proposed West Omdurman Canal Project are also discussed. Finally, the paper reviews the major research findings of Rawakeeb Dryland Research Center with regard to promoting agricultural productivity.