The locust lesion destroys agricultural crops this season and threatens food Security in the liberated areas – Nuba Mountains Region.

 

A report prepared by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -North Media House – splmn.net.

The Nuba Mountains: Geography and Population:

The Nuba Mountains / South Kordofan region is located in southern Sudan. It covers about (88,000 km – the equivalent of 30,000 square miles) in a rainy savanna area in summer. It is bordered by North Kordofan State to the north, the White Nile to the east, and South Darfur State to the west. It also has borders with the state of South Sudan (Upper Nile State to the southeast, Warrap and Unity State to the south).

  The mountains and highlands cover about (18.5%) of the total area of the region, the fertile area covers about (45%) of the land, and the sandy soil covers about (32%), and the area of agricultural land in the region is about (15%) of the total agricultural land in Sudan.

Agricultural resources:

The areas of arable land in Sudan are estimated at about (400) million acres, or about (105) million hectares, equivalent to (42%) of the total area of Sudan – “Source FAO” – and they usually occupy poor and rich savanna areas and tropical regions to include areas South, Central and East Kordofan (the Nuba Mountains region), which represents an important strategic reserve in the balance of Sudanese national capabilities and resources, especially agricultural and forest wealth: it contains more than two and a half million hectares (6 million acres) of planned fertile agricultural land, and more than ten And half a million hectares (25 million acres) of forest, with more than 4 million heads of livestock. Traditional agriculture is considered the mainstay of the Nuba economy, and it is one of the things that distinguishes Nuba from the rest of the population groups neighboring them. The Nuba Mountains region produces about (11% of the country’s production of sesame, 10% of corn, and 4% of millet. Before the war that broke out in the region in 1984, the Nuba Mountains produced approximately 45% of the corn produced in Sudan. After the Gedaref region, which produces (47%). It also represents the second source of Sudanese sesame production after the mechanized agriculture area in Gedaref. It represents the second source of cotton production in Sudan after the Gezira region.

Since the outbreak of war in the region in 2011 – after the end of the transitional period that followed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (Nivasha – 2005), the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North has controlled large areas of the region (equivalent to the areas of Rwanda and Burundi combined) that include more than two million settled citizens who depend on agriculture In the style of living. The civil authority of the new Sudan provides other services (education, health, water, agricultural aids, etc.).

Economically, the Nuba are classified as (agricultural societies) and depend on agriculture as the main source of life and livelihood. The people in areas under the control of the SPLM-N since 2011 has been dependent on agriculture and has been able to achieve self-sufficiency and continue life over the past years.

This season, the locust lesion attacked citizens’ farms in locations under the control of the SPLM-N and destroyed the farms extensively, which threatens a humanitarian catastrophe and a food gap in the coming months after the citizens’ strategic stocks ran out, considering that this season will be a failure and the citizens will not find anything to sustain them until the next season.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North Media House prepared this report to shed light and draw the attention of everyone, especially the international community and humanitarian organizations, towards this impending disaster. The Media House met with citizens and responsible authorities in the field of agriculture – and the outcome was the following:

The impact of locusts on agriculture in the western area of the Nuba Mountains:

The locust lesion has spread this season in the western part of the Nuba Mountains region in frightening ways – as the locusts remained present throughout the stages of agricultural operations, causing the elimination of large areas of agricultural crops, especially corn – this is an early indicator and a bell that rings doors and warns that there is an imminent danger looming on the horizon that requires… Everyone should be prepared for this, as next year people will face a severe shortage and great scarcity in the quantities produced of corn, which represents the main food for the people, and this requires working seriously and as quickly as possible, preparing and taking precautions from now on. The website splmn.net toured to clarify the matter and conducted interviews with a number of farmers and officials from the Department of Agriculture in Lagawa County. The testimonies were as follows:

Abu Kalam Karanda Teuk – a citizen who lives in the village of (Maryam) Payam “Lumreik” – (Tema) in his testimony, he said: (I left the current season empty-handed because of the locusts, as I planted 4 and a half acres of corn, which produces an annual rate of 16 to 20 sacks of Corn per acre, but I do not expect any products this year, and we call on the provincial and regional governments to take action to remedy the situation before the ax falls on the head, as the situation is critical and not reassuring).

 

   Ghubaisha Ibrahim Salah, a farmer and housewife who lives in the village of Baloul in Payam Lumreik (Tema), began her speech, regretting the effort that was wasted. She said that she had reached the conviction that the harvest of her traditional hand-made farm, which has an area of about half an acre and usually produces 7 to 15 sacks of 20 Malwa and she said: (This year’s production will be very low. We will eat it in two months, just for me and my children – and we will finish it).

 Muhammad Fadlallah Kortokila, who lives in Kadada Payam, said: (The lack of rain and pests, especially the locust pest, caused a lack of production). He added: (I annually produce 13 to 14 bags weighing 20 Malwa, but because of what I mentioned, the expectation is 3 bags or less).

The agricultural supervisor of Payam (Lumirek), Said Koko Kafi, explained that the western and southern part of Payam Lumirek (Tema), which includes the villages of (Mariam, Kadada, Rua, and Kara) – was more damaged, and he expected that production for this season in the Payam would be only 25%. This is a very low percentage compared to the previous season, which amounted to 86%. As for the northern and eastern parts (Kreker, Kew, and Ballul), conditions are okay.

Bakhit Haqar Abu Sin – who lives in the village of Al-Aghibish in Payam Tabag – said that the impact of pests, especially locusts and birds, and the scarcity of rain, in addition to the deteriorating security conditions, will greatly affect production this year – and according to his expectations – production will be small and low – and he added: (I produce 6 to 9 sacks annually, but production this year will not exceed 2 sacks).

Shaibun Ali Khamis, who lives in the village of Kumbal, said that locusts, birds, and insects destroyed everything – green and dry, and damaged the crop and ate the trees. He added, “I produce 7 to 9 sacks annually, but the expected production this year will be Much less – it will not exceed 1 and a half sack).

 Adam Azireq Al-Raqiq, who lives in the village of Karkur in Payam “Tabag,” said that production will be low due to pests, especially locusts and birds, in addition to the lack of rain. He added: (I will spray pesticides as a last resort to preserve the remaining field crops and oilseeds). Azaireq noted. – He produces 6 to 8 sacks annually – but production this year will be small, between 2 to 3 sacks, according to his expectations.

 Haider Saadan Ibrahim – who lives in the village of “Shanqal” in Payam Tabag (Tang) – said: (Production will be low due to the narrow-cultivated area for security reasons, in addition to the locust pest. I produce 9 to 10 sacks annually, but production this year will be between 1 to 2 bags. It weighs 20 malwas).

For his part, the agricultural supervisor of Payam (Tabag), Muhammad Abu Abdeen, said: (The deteriorating security conditions, scarcity of rain, and pests, especially locusts, birds, and insects, caused the disaster – the conditions in the southern and western part of Payam are worse – and they were more affected).

Kaki Tutu Abu Shouk – who lives in the village of (Sarfaya) in Payam (Tulosi) – said that the conditions are okay. Locusts are present, but not in large and frightening quantities, and I hope that conditions will not change for the worse until the harvest is complete. He said that he produces 40 to 50 sacks annually – but the production This year it will be less – he estimates it will be 20 to 30 bags.

Zainab Osman Kaki, who lives in the village of Lao Payam (Tulosi), described the situation as catastrophic, and said that 75% of the farmers had completely lost hope and the expected production would be very low due to the locust pest and the scarcity of rain. She added: (My production will not exceed 5 sacks, compared to the previous season. My production reached 35 bags – the difference is huge and huge).

Hammad Hamdan Tawor, a displaced person from (Lagawa) who lives in Arshliji Payam (Tulosi), said that the lack of rain and the locust pest caused a lack of production. He added: (I planted 7 cords, “a local measure of the area of agricultural land,” and this is the first time I have planted here. The soil is good, but I expect the production to be only 3 to 4 bags of corn weighing 20 malwas).

The agricultural supervisor of Payam (Tulosi) – Dhaw al-Bayt Teia Abu Laghm – confirmed that the northern and western part of Payam – villages (Lambo, Mulla, Law, Tardi, Arshliji) were greatly affected by the locust pest and the scarcity of rain, but the conditions in the eastern and southern part (Shwa, Saada, Sarfaya, Karlangla, Tembela) is better.

Hamdan Kamal Malin – who lives in the village of (Al-Tarain) in Payam (Kamda), confirmed: (The security conditions and the pestilence of locusts, birds and insects caused the disaster, and the matter will get worse in the coming months, and production will not exceed 2 sacks, so we need help today before tomorrow).

 Hamid Gadim Makki, from the village of Nimr Shaqo, said that the locust pest destroyed the farms and destroyed the crop. He said that he produces an average of 6 to 9 sacks of corn annually, but this season it will decrease to 3 to 4 sacks.

Youssef Al-Haj Idris, who lives in the village of Al-Fogra in Payam (Kamda), said that as a farmer he made a great effort, but the conditions of scarcity of rain and the pestilence of locusts, birds, and insects will contribute to the lack of production. He added, “I annually produce 6 to 9 sacks, but the expected production this year will be 4 sacks only).

The Agricultural Supervisor of Payam (Kamda) – Al-Taher Al-Faki Abdel Rahim – in his statement confirmed that the security conditions and natural conditions have affected all parts of Payam, and he said that these reasons will certainly affect production, and with the presence of estimated numbers of displaced people, prices will rise noticeably and significantly.

The head of the Chamber of Commerce in Lagwa County, Jaber Makki Kafi, expected prices to rise significantly. Although the new production of corn has not yet reached the markets, all evidence and indicators indicate that there will be influences on supply and demand that will contribute to a significant and significant increase in corn prices, and this will constitute an additional burden on poor families).

Director of the Department of Agriculture and Food Security in Lagawa County – Bab Allah Hammad Tutu – confirmed that the lack of production inputs at the beginning of this season, with the deteriorating security conditions throughout the County, the delay in maintenance of agricultural machinery for community projects (Sira / Siamese), the fluctuation of rainfall and the spread of a pest (Locusts), and the lack of capabilities and means to combat them in their early stages, in addition to insects and birds, led to the failure of the agricultural season. Hammad pointed out that the Department of Agriculture was relying heavily on mechanized agriculture and projects within planning because they contribute greatly to achieving self-sufficiency and feeding the crop markets in Laqawa County and other districts with surplus corn production. Hammad confirmed that the percentage of those affected will reach 76% of the total population of the district. The impact will extend to parts of Payam (Laqawa) County, such as Payam (Abu junook). And several Payams in Dilling County – for example: (Salara, Karko, and Al-Farshaya) due to their dependence on corn produced in (Lagawa) County. Hammad explained that the total number of beneficiaries of community projects in the county amounts to (880) farmers, of (640) whom lose completely the current season. This equates to 77%. The total cultivated area is 14% and the uncultivated area is 86%. Hammad added, saying: (Lagawa County in particular, and the western region in general, needs urgent emergency intervention. According to the observations and indicators contained in the monthly reports of the camps – the expected food Cavity will be large and the resulting effects will be Catastrophic – and we, as the County Agriculture Department, will conduct a comprehensive agricultural survey The results of this survey will verify and determine the damages accurately).

The eastern Area of the Nuba Mountains region:

Rashad County located in the eastern area of the Nuba Mountains region had been affected by a widespread outbreak of agricultural pests, which led to the failure of the current agricultural season. r Mahmoud Issa, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry in Rashad County, said that they expect the current agricultural season to face some difficulties due to the lack of rainfall. Mahmoud reported that rain did not fall in the region during the months of July and August, which affected agriculture, and it became Definite that the agricultural season would fail.

In the same context, he reported that the county had been affected by a widespread outbreak of agricultural pests. Especially swarms of locusts (night swarms) and desert locusts.

According to him, there are reports received that reveal the spread of agricultural pests in all the farms in the County. He expected a food gap in the eastern region due to the failure of the agricultural season.

The Food Security Coordinator at  (Kama Organization for Development Initiatives – KODI)  – Manzul Al-Nur Muhammad – said: “After the appearance of the locust pest and its spread in the region, we at KODI  Organization, and based on the organization’s vision of “towards a developed, self-sufficient, participating society that lives in peace,” we trained a number of (8 ) of young people at the level of Payam Tonguli as a first experience on the use and application of hand-sprayed pesticides and methods of protection from their negative effects. The organization contributed by providing the pesticide, the youth of the region contributed by providing food, and the Chamber of Commerce provided transportation to the site of the locust outbreak.

He added: (The organization also contributed to an initiative in the current agricultural season. About 79 farmers were trained in the eastern region on growing fruits and vegetables and supported them with agricultural equipment and seeds, and this helped greatly in providing food security).

The central region of the Nuba Mountains region:

The central area of the Nuba Mountains region was also affected and may be one of the most affected areas – and in his statement, the sheikh of (Tembira) village in Heiban County – Sheikh Ibrahim Sajjada Koko – he said: (The locust scourge appeared in his village at the beginning of August 2023, and until now, With the beginning of the growth of agricultural crops, especially corn, these swarms began to eliminate them, stating that the number of families in his village is (350) families, which is equivalent to (350) farms, and the farm for each family varies between 3 to 9 acres, and the average productivity of one acre is between (25 – 30) sack of corn in season.

The sheikh also reported that the locust scourge had never appeared before in his area except this year, and all the citizens of his village depend on agriculture as the first and main craft of their livelihood, and now the locusts have completely wiped out all of their agricultural farms and they do not have enough food for the coming year. He also said that the regional government conducted a field visit to determine the extent of the great damage that befell the citizens and called on organizations to assist them.

In the Agriculture Department of the Chamber of Commerce – Nuba Mountains Region, we met Mr. Hamdan Omar Bakhit – who said: (We planned to cultivate large areas this season to fill the deficit in the food gap due to the increase in the number of displaced people to the region as a result of the ongoing fighting in Khartoum, but the locust scourge wiped out all things before our plans begin).

He added: (After the reports reached us about the spread of the locust pest, we, in the Agriculture Department of the Chamber of Commerce in the region, made a field visit to all the areas affected by the locust pest. We conducted a field survey of agricultural projects through agricultural associations in the region, and we received reports that were shocking. The disaster is great, and we do not have the minimum tools to combat agricultural pests).

For his part, the agricultural expert: Kamel Omer, reported that the locusts’ movements came from the north and settled in the region in areas with dense trees, and placed their larvae in large and wide areas – and what made matters worse was the lack of rain in this season, which helped them to grow and spread around agricultural crops at the beginning of  the growth. He added: (Locusts develop through reproduction, which has become a major threat to the agricultural economy in the region because their focus was in the geographical borders of the Nuba Mountains region, and the only way to remove their larvae is heavy rain, the percentage of which decreased this year as it fell at very small rates. The damage rate is large, estimated at between 70 – 80%, which is a large percentage of damage, of course).

As for mechanized agriculture, Kamel confirmed that the lack of fuel and the availability of tractors due to the ongoing war in Khartoum, which resulted in the displacement of large number of citizens who did not enjoy a good agricultural season. All of these factors portend a major food disaster in the region if the matter is not remedied.

He added: (Combating locusts requires huge capabilities, and fighting them requires spraying pesticides by aircraft, and the region has limited capabilities. As for traditional control with pumps, it is also not possible to combat the locust scourge at the level of the region’s large areas or through the Agriculture Secretariat due to limited capabilities. Therefore, we need concerted efforts between People of the region at home and abroad, in addition to international organizations such as (FAO), as the only organization responsible for agriculture and food security.

At the conclusion of his speech, Kamel called on the people of the region in diaspora countries to work hard to deliver information to the competent authorities through groups that move to collect information, and he urged citizens to be patient and join hands with each other in these circumstances and to pay attention to planting vegetables to provide food.

Mr. Abdel-Azim Yacoub – Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Food Security of the Civil Authority of New Sudan in the Nuba Mountains Region – stated that his administration prepared a report regarding the locust scourge. The report confirmed that the locusts came to the region from the north and that was during the summer period between the months of (March – October) 2023. At that time, they attacked the trees.

they began laying eggs at the beginning of the rains, specifically at the beginning of the month (May – June). It started hatching in mid-July. Then, it began attacking agriculture in the stage of plant growth (germination) in some Counties During this period, there was a cessation in rainfall, especially in mid-July until the end of August, which encouraged attacks on crops at the beginning of September while they were in the (milky) phase, such as (corn, cowpea, and maize), and also attacks on trees, feeding on the leaves of trees – especially (Lalupe) trees. – Buckthorn) is considered one of the most important fruitful forest trees that helps increase and improve the individual economy in the region.

The extent of the damage and the areas affected by this disaster:

Most of the counties in the western areas of the region were damaged. The damage began from the beginning of (germination) until the (milk) stage in the provinces of: (Habila, Dilling, Al-Sanout, Lagawa, Dalami, Rashad, Heiban, New Tagli, Talodi, Tubu, the eastern countryside, and western Kadugli).

90% of the region’s area was affected by this pest.

The extent of damage to production ranges between (70% – 75%) in terms of crop destruction and (65%) damage to vegetation or forest cover, which negatively affects climate change, which in turn leads to deterioration and lack of rain in the next season, which will exacerbate the scale of the disaster. It contributes to its continuity.

Official and governmental efforts in New Sudan to combat locusts:

Locusts are a national scourge that is fought from one country to another by spraying pesticides by aircraft. Therefore, the government’s role in the liberated areas was weak due to the lack of such great capabilities to combat this scourge. Reports reached the regional government from farmers about the spread of the locust pest and they demanded the intervention of the competent authorities, but they were unable to intervene to save the situation due to the lack of such capabilities.

The civil authority of New Sudan in the region developed a plan to confront the repercussions of this disaster, especially the decline in production – and the plan was as follows:

1/ Educating citizens about the danger of a disaster (food shortage), keeping up with them and how to confront this disaster by using and consuming what they own in a rational way (not overusing).

2/ Calling on local and international organizations working in the field of food security to intervene to save this catastrophic situation (such as the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, the World Food Program) and other organizations.

Concerns about food security:

The year 2024 forebodes by the occurrence of a disaster and a food gap for the following reasons:

1/ The outbreak of war on April 15, 2023 in Khartoum caused the displacement of large numbers of citizens into the region, with food not being provided from any party other than local efforts, especially citizens. Throughout this period, they relied only on their families and relatives for their access to food and other requirements, which It affected the economies of host families.

2/ Rain fluctuation due to climate change affected production and productivity.

3/ The spread of the locust pest in all the counties of the region, which destroyed crops this season.

The above-mentioned reasons led to a decline in production and productivity for this agricultural season by rates ranging between (70% – 75%).

The impact of the locust pest on the economies of residents of liberated areas:

The Media House of the SPLM-N splmn.net met with the economic expert – Walid Ali Khamis – Director General of the Department of Economy and Financial Resources in the Nuba Mountains Region and asked him about the impact of the locust plague this year on the economies of the citizens of the liberated areas – and his statements were as follows:

(It is known that the liberated areas depend entirely on agriculture, which is the main craft for the majority of the population – but this year, after the appearance of the locust scourge, many areas will end the agricultural season without production because the locusts have destroyed all cultivated crops, especially in the western areas of the region. And large parts of the eastern areas and parts of the central areas, and therefore these areas may be threatened by famine).

He continued by saying: (The main problem is that these locusts are not the incoming locusts because they came the previous year, then laid eggs and settled in these areas until their life cycle was completed, then they went out to devour all agricultural production without mercy. The real crisis is that the endemic locusts may remain for years. …and years in these areas, and it may spread to other areas, in addition to the fact that the methods of control are still very traditional, so this disaster has bad economic effects on the lives of citizens. It is economically known that when there is scarcity or scarcity of a specific commodity – corn, for example – the prices of this  commodity rises because the total supply is not sufficient to meet the total demand, and this in turn leads to a weakening of the purchasing power of citizens. Consequently, this has serious repercussions on people’s livelihoods, and this is manifested in a state of panic, fear, and complain because scarcity forces citizens and merchants to store what they have of the commodity for fear of the future.

  Walid Ali also confirmed: (The exit of some areas from the agricultural season also affected the average of income, especially those who have gone beyond traditional agriculture “self-sufficiency” and began practicing the craft of agriculture from the economic perspective “production for the purpose of sale or export.” Therefore, this situation portends a real disaster if not Rapid action is taken to save what can be saved).

He added: (The citizens of the liberated areas must rely on themselves primarily by increasing the agricultural area and mobilizing their own resources in order to pass the stage of self-sufficiency by increasing production. As for the government aspect, we are working to finance important entitlements within the framework of the budget and stabilize the overall economy by activating the mechanisms. Inactive revenues and increasing tax efforts to meet the basic needs of citizens).

The Director-General of the Department of Economy and Financial Resources in the region appealed to all organizations working in the humanitarian field not to deal with double standards in dealing with humanitarian issues and added: (This contradicts the principle of ethics. Instead, we see that all organizations working in the humanitarian field are harnessing all their efforts and capabilities. To serve specific areas of conflict in the world, Ukraine, Yemen, Palestine, etc. Note that the liberated areas since 2011 are living in this tragedy, but they have not received the attention that rises to the level of people’s suffering, and this in itself undermines the credibility of the organizations working in the humanitarian field. However, despite this, there is still a good opportunity for these organizations to pick up the gauntlet and play their assigned role in alleviating people’s suffering by providing basic needs at a minimum, otherwise this will be a disgrace to humanity).

finally:

Over the past years, the Sudanese government has used food as a weapon to fight citizens in areas controlled by the SPLM-N denying them relief and humanitarian aid – so the citizens relied on themselves through agriculture as a craft they mastered. But this year, after the locust attack on farms and the destruction of crops, the occurrence of a humanitarian catastrophe is inevitable, especially after large numbers took refuge in the SPLM-N controlled areas to escape from the ongoing war in Khartoum and other cities that are under government control.

So, the catastrophe is coming unless international and regional organizations working in the humanitarian field develop their plan to provide relief to citizens in the liberated areas and provide humanitarian aid to confront the inevitable danger that is coming. It can visit areas under the control of the SPLM-N, interview citizens, the regional government and local organizations, and conduct surveys and other necessary measures.

For communication and more information, you can visit the official website of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North – (SPLM-N)- splmn.net.

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