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SUDAN 2025. Gezira Scheme’s major Canal

29 April 2025. Gezira Irrigation Scheme, Medani, Al Jazirah State, Sudan. FAO project team assessing the situation on ground, gathering information to inform priority interventions.

04/29/2025

Project ID Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given. For further information contact: Photo-Library@fao.org

UNFAO Source FAO Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER)

File size 7.23 MB

Unique ID UF218OE

Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given. For further information contact: Photo-Library@fao.org

Background Information The Gezira Scheme, located in Al Jazirah State, is a cornerstone of the Sudan’s irrigated agriculture, sustaining the livelihoods of an estimated five million people. Before the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) occupied the capital city, Wad Medani, in December 2023, Al Jazirah had already been hosting over 500 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from across the country.

The occupation led to widespread collapse of agricultural activities and infrastructure, plunging both host communities and displaced populations into high levels of acute food insecurity and deepening economic distress. Among the hardest-hit areas was Al-Haiwawa, the Gezira Scheme's major canal and one of the 117 main canals in the scheme, supporting more than 2 360 farmers across 48 villages.

To assess the scale of damage and inform recovery efforts, a field assessment was conducted betwen April 27 and May 2, 2025, under FAO-led project “Employment and Self-Employment Agriculture and Livelihoods Support for Vulnerable Populations in Sudan”, funded by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) through Education Above All (EAA). The assessment focused on identifying recovery needs in irrigation, agriculture, and livestock sytems to guide immediate and medium-term interventions.

The assessment adopted a mixed-methods approach, incorporating field visits, interviews, and consultations with key stakeholders. Site inspections focused on irrigation infrastructure, farms, livestock routes, and community institutions across Al-Haiwawa’s three agricultural sections: Al-Ghabshan, Al-Hosh, and Al-Rimetab