Wad Medani Online
Gezira Scheme
Introduction:
The Sudan is a vast country containing sizable land and natural resources. Agriculture occupies pivotal position in Sudan economy because of it's sizable contribution in national income.
Gezira Scheme lies between the Blue and White Niles. It is the largest, oldest and most important agricultural scheme in the Sudan. Geographically and topographically Gezira suited irrigation by gravity.
The main crops grown in Gezira Scheme are: Cotton, Dura (Sorghum), Wheat, Groundnuts, Vegetables, Fruits, and Fodder.The Gezira Scheme started in 1911 with an area of 250 feddans (1=1039 acres) for growing cotton. As cotton proved to be successful the area was increased year after an other. At the same time it was decided to construct a dam at Sinnar on the Blue Nile. In 1925 when Sinnar Dam officially inaugurated gravity irrigation started and the area increased to 2.1 million feddans by the end of 1962.
THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME:
Before independence in 1956, the scheme main objective was to produce cotton raw material to feed textile the textile factories in the United Kingdom. The national government however had designated social development as one of the main objectives of the scheme. An appreciable portion of the profit was directed to overwhelming social development projects.
ROTATION:
Crop rotation witnessed several changes in accordance with the prevailing agriculture environment that conceded with the different stage of development in the scheme, but recently settled to the five course rotation all over the scheme with the aim of achieving the best results from the available resources of land and water.
FINANCING OF CROPS:
The previous system of financing from the central bank (Bank of Sudan) the ministry of finance has been abolished and substituted by a new method based on the international free market and privatization concepts.
PRODUCTION RELATIONSHIP:
The production relationship system adopted in Gezira scheme is based on land and water rates for each crop to tenants individually. The role of the Gezira Board is to provide the tenants with agricultural services, inputs at cost, technical and administrative supervision and execution of it's policy. the net proceeds will go to the tenants. It is agreed that tenants will pay 4% of the gross returns of cotton to meet the following objectives:
For the local government councils / 1%
For the tenants service fund / 1%
After the advent of the salvation revolution the tenant has virtually changed from being tool of production to an actual owner of all tools of production, and government interference comes only when food production for the nation is to be secured being flexible, the scheme with it's enormous capabilities is always able to satisfy all purposes and objectives.
MANAGEMENT OF THE SCHEME:
Administratively the scheme is divided into five administrations: Engineering, finance, Investment, Irrigation, and agricultural Administrations. The field - which belongs to Agric. Adm. - is divided into 18 groups, further subdivided into a number of agricultural blocks to make a total of 113 blocks in the scheme. The board of directors composed of 13 members representing different related organizations is chaired by the minister of agriculture and forests, and is responsible for setting all production policies.
PRODUCTION INPUTS:
Most of cotton production inputs are imported from abroad. Fertilizers for example, amounts to 100.000 tons seasonally. The Gezira scheme also import great amounts of insecticide, herbicide, jute sacks, spare parts for machine vehicles, ginning factories, telecommunications, light railways and other.
INFRASTRUCTURE:
The Gezira scheme owns great infrastructural units like Gezira Light Railways (G. L. R.). It has 1300 kms of rail lines extended all over the scheme. The main service of the (G. L. R.) is to deliver inputs to the field, and transportation of the output to the ginneries and ware - housing facilities. Also there are ginneries allocated at Maringan, Hassahissa and Bagair where the cotton is prepared for export.
QUALITY OF GEZIRA COTTON:
Gezira cotton covers wide range of quality spectrum required to satisfy the exacting needs of rapidly changing technological development in the spinning mills, weaving and lint ting factories. the extra fine count cotton (Barakat) the fine count cotton (Maryoud, Huda and Shambat-B) and the course count cotton (Sudan Acala, and Nuba Albar) maintained a very special and competitive position in many of the European and the far Eastern cotton consumer countries due to the excellent production, ginning and preparation.
The Gezira cotton is comparatively superior to any similar cotton. it issued in manufacture of a wide range of textile products including European high fashion creations, men shirting's, rain-coats, gloves and accessories. Gezira cotton is well known for it's consistency as well as quality, colour and cleanliness it has been used for more than 60 years be leading British manufacturers and it is carefully graded in conformity with standard established by the Gezira Board and Liverpool cotton Association.
To face the requirements and desires of the consumers of Sudan cotton, a great attention has been given to promote agricultural practices and preparations of Sudan cotton.
FUTURE VISION AN PRODMISING PLANS:
The immediate and future strategy of the scheme is to encourage public investment in the field of agricultural industry basically for vegetables, fruits and animal production.
Collective marketing of crops is also one of the scheme most promising projects. Specialized executive body has already been assigned to sponsor and carry out the policy.
Contact:
for More information's you can contact Gezira scheme Barakat HQS in Sudan numbers:
Tel:+249-516-80376/80061/80145 Fax: +249-511-842728.
E-mail: