Sudan raises loan to increase grain production

The African Development Bank will provide $73.81 million to finance an emergency wheat production project in Sudan, KazakhZerno.kz correspondent reports. Agriculture is the backbone of Sudan's economy, accounting for 60% of all national exports and a third of its gross domestic product. It employs more than half of the country's workforce. Sudan has long suffered from severe food insecurity due to a variety of factors, including economic recession and hyperinflation, as well as crop failures. The situation has worsened due to the current global surge in food and energy prices. Sorghum and millet prices have jumped 150-200% since 2021, while wheat prices have nearly tripled. This is due to the fact that 60-70% of the wheat consumed in Sudan is imported, mainly from Russia and Ukraine. Fertilizer and energy prices also tripled, fueling inflation. African Development Bank funds will assist in the large-scale procurement and delivery of certified seeds of climate-adapted varieties and ...