Assessment of Sustainable Production of Stable Food Crops in Southern Darfur State, Sudan

The main purpose of this study is to assess the sustainability of production of millet and sorghum, the main stable food crops in traditional rain fed areas in Southern Darfur State (SDS), and explore the potential resources, capabilities and constraints of production and the possibility of regional trade between SDS and the other States of the country. The results of the study revealed that the main factors constraining production in SDS are farm access insecurity which represents 30%, ineffective control of pests and diseases 20%, poor genetic stock 20%, inadequate amount of rainfall 14% and low fertility of Qoz and Atmur soils 6%, lack of extension service 6% and financial lack of ability 4%. The small producers have limited access to credit and research released technological knowledge. Total area planted per household was estimated at 4.3 feddans. Average production per household was estimated at 418 kg and 166 kg for millet and sorghum, respectively. Productivity recorded was 209 kg/feddan and 237 kg/feddan for millet and sorghum, respectively. The study showed that due to insecurity conflicts 152,000 of the producer households were displaced in the IDPs camps. The estimated losses due to displacement were amounted to 149,000 metric tons of millet and 83,000 metric tons of sorghum. The empirical results of trade analysis indicate that there is a good chance for intra-regional trade to operate in SDS provided that trade barriers removed [1]. For implementation of agricultural plan in SDS, production of food stable crops must be shift to areas of high rainfall and high fertility in Naga’a and Gardud soils. In the drought-affected moisture stressed environments introduction of early maturing varieties of millet and sorghum, provision of extension services and adoption of rainwater harvesting techniques are the needed measures [2]. Southern Darfur State will never satisfy its need of grain unless social security prevails in areas of production and return of civil war displaced farmers to places of farming. Introduction of mechanized farming in the alluvial soils of high rainfall and high fertility (Naga’a and Gardud soils) is the only best alternative to satisfying the need of grain in SDS under the current access insecurity of smallholders to their far farms. Curr Inves Agri Curr Res Copyrights@ Eltighani M Elamin, et al. Citation: Babikir A M, Eltighani M E, Abd E, A Hashim A. Assessment of Sustainable Production of Stable Food Crops in Southern Darfur State, Sudan. Curr Inves Agri Curr Res 5(3)2018. CIACR.MS.ID.000211. DOI: 10.32474/CIACR.2018.05.000211. 610 was estimated at 4.3 feddan. Average production per household was estimated at 418 kg and 166 kg for millet and sorghum respectively. Productivity recorded was 209 kg/feddan and 237 kg/feddan for millet and sorghum respectively (Figure 1). The study showed that due to insecurity conflicts 152,000 of the producer households were displaced in the camps of SDS. Accordingly, the estimated losses, due to displacement, were amounted to 149000 metric tons of millet, 83000 metric tons of sorghum. *Subsistence balance is the balance of grain produced and consumed in the State. Figure 1: Subsistence balance in SDS during the period 1987-2002. Table 1: Subsistence balance* in S D S during the period 1987–2002 (000 tones). Year 1987 1988 1989 199


Introduction
Southern Darfur State (SDS), the area of the study, is situated in the western part of the Sudan. Traditional rain-fed is the main type of agriculture that provides livelihood for approximately 82% of the population. Millet and sorghum are the main stable food crops and groundnuts is the main cash crop [3,4]. The characteristics of this sub sector are that the farm size is small not exceeding 10 feddan per household, low yield per unit area; production is mainly for subsistence. Crop production is concentrated by insecurity of farm access in areas of the easily food grain cultivated Qoz and Atmur sandy soils.

Methodology
Household survey was employed to generate the quantitative data related to livelihood and food security. Both household and group questionnaires were developed to collect the primary data. The stratified random sampling method was used to select respondents of the study [5]. The data of post-harvest surveys conducted in SDS was the main concern of the analysis for the study time span 1987-2007 [6].

Results and Discussion
The result of the study revealed that the main factors constraining production in SDS are insecurity which represents 30% [7], ineffective control of pests and diseases 20%, poor genetic stock 20%, inadequate amount of rainfall 14% and low fertility of Goz and Atmur soils 6%, lack of extension service 6% and financial inability 4%. The small producers have limited access to credit and

Abstract
The main purpose of this study is to assess the sustainability of production of millet and sorghum, the main stable food crops in traditional rain fed areas in Southern Darfur State (SDS), and explore the potential resources, capabilities and constraints of production and the possibility of regional trade between SDS and the other States of the country. The results of the study revealed that the main factors constraining production in SDS are farm access insecurity which represents 30%, ineffective control of pests and diseases 20%, poor genetic stock 20%, inadequate amount of rainfall 14% and low fertility of Qoz and Atmur soils 6%, lack of extension service 6% and financial lack of ability 4%. The small producers have limited access to credit and research released technological knowledge. Total area planted per household was estimated at 4.3 feddans. Average production per household was estimated at 418 kg and 166 kg for millet and sorghum, respectively. Productivity recorded was 209 kg/feddan and 237 kg/feddan for millet and sorghum, respectively. The study showed that due to insecurity conflicts 152,000 of the producer households were displaced in the IDPs camps. The estimated losses due to displacement were amounted to 149,000 metric tons of millet and 83,000 metric tons of sorghum.
The empirical results of trade analysis indicate that there is a good chance for intra-regional trade to operate in SDS provided that trade barriers removed [1]. For implementation of agricultural plan in SDS, production of food stable crops must be shift to areas of high rainfall and high fertility in Naga'a and Gardud soils. In the drought-affected moisture stressed environments introduction of early maturing varieties of millet and sorghum, provision of extension services and adoption of rainwater harvesting techniques are the needed measures [2]. Southern Darfur State will never satisfy its need of grain unless social security prevails in areas of production and return of civil war displaced farmers to places of farming. Introduction of mechanized farming in the alluvial soils of high rainfall and high fertility (Naga'a and Gardud soils) is the only best alternative to satisfying the need of grain in SDS under the current access insecurity of smallholders to their far farms. Productivity recorded was 209 kg/feddan and 237 kg/feddan for millet and sorghum respectively (Figure 1). The study showed that due to insecurity conflicts 152,000 of the producer households were displaced in the camps of SDS. Accordingly, the estimated losses, due to displacement, were amounted to 149000 metric tons of millet, 83000 metric tons of sorghum.

Curr Inves Agri Curr Res
*Subsistence balance is the balance of grain produced and consumed in the State.    Table 2 and with 10 m contour diking was found to be the most suitable surface management techniques for these soils [8]. Also, there is bad need *Subsistence balance is the balance of grain produced and consumed in the State.