Farming context: Sudan
Sudan fertilizer estimates use the selected crop, field, soil and product assumptions from the SD agriculture dataset. Check local conditions before applying national averages.
| Agriculture share of GDP | ~30% |
|---|
| Arable land | 20,000,000 ha |
|---|
| Irrigated share | ~10% |
|---|
| Main food crops | sorghum, millet, wheat, sugar cane |
|---|
| Main export crops | sesame, groundnut, cotton, gum arabic |
|---|
Country context from the AfroTools agriculture dataset - planning reference, not agronomic advice. Confirm with local extension services.
Fertilizer Use in Sudan
Sudan is one of Africa's largest countries with significant agricultural potential, particularly in the irrigated schemes of the Gezira, Managil, and other Blue and White Nile zones. Agriculture employs about 80% of the population, with sorghum, millet, wheat, groundnuts, sesame, cotton, and sugarcane as the main crops. Annual fertilizer consumption was historically around 200,000 to 300,000 tonnes before the current political and economic crisis, with the Gezira Scheme alone consuming a significant share. Sudan previously had domestic fertilizer production capacity, but the separation of South Sudan in 2011 removed oil revenues that had subsidized agricultural inputs, and subsequent economic and political crises have further disrupted fertilizer supply. Imports arrive through Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The Sudanese Agricultural Bank has traditionally played a major role in providing seasonal input credit to farmers.
Common Fertilizer Types
Urea (46-0-0) is the most consumed fertilizer in Sudan, widely used as a nitrogen source for wheat in the irrigated schemes and for sorghum in both irrigated and rainfed areas. TSP (triple superphosphate) is the preferred phosphorus source, particularly for the Gezira Scheme's heavy clay vertisols. DAP is used as an alternative compound starter fertilizer. NPK blends are less common in Sudan compared to straight fertilizers, as the extension service traditionally recommends specific nutrient applications based on soil analysis. Ammonium sulfate is used for crops requiring sulfur supplementation. For sugarcane in the White Nile and Sennar areas, intensive nitrogen programs use urea with supplementary phosphorus and potassium. Organic amendments from livestock manure are important in the rainfed farming systems of Kordofan and Darfur states, where mineral fertilizer access is limited.
Subsidy Programs & Access
Sudan has historically provided agricultural input subsidies through the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and the Sudanese Agricultural Bank. The Gezira Scheme Board and other irrigation scheme administrations managed input distribution for irrigated agriculture, providing fertilizer on credit to tenant farmers with costs recovered from crop sales. However, economic reforms, the removal of fuel and input subsidies under IMF-influenced austerity programs, and the ongoing political crisis since the 2019 revolution and 2021 military coup have severely disrupted the subsidy system. When functional, farmers in organized irrigation schemes accessed subsidized fertilizer through their scheme administration and cooperative structure. In rainfed areas, the Agricultural Bank provided seasonal loans for input purchases. Currently, fertilizer availability and affordability are severely constrained by the devaluation of the Sudanese pound, foreign exchange shortages, and disrupted supply chains. International organizations continue to provide emergency agricultural inputs in conflict-affected areas, particularly in Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan states.