{"id":412410,"date":"2026-06-15T15:47:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T18:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=412410"},"modified":"2026-06-15T15:48:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T18:48:13","slug":"brazil-could-support-sudan-in-cotton-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/brazil-could-support-sudan-in-cotton-production\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazil could support Sudan in cotton production"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

*By Ahmed Swar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cotton is believed to have originated in five major regions of the world: the Australian desert, the arid zones of South America, the edges of the deserts of North and South Africa, the Arabian Desert, and the regions of Southeast Asia, including India. In Sudan, cotton was introduced between 1862 and 1865 by Governor Mumtaz Pasha from Egypt. The first cultivation experiments took place in the regions of Zeidab and Alayab, in northern Sudan, with the support of U.S. experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cotton cultivation expanded rapidly during the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium period with the establishment of large-scale agricultural projects. Among them, the Gezira Project stood out, covering about one million feddans (1.038 million acres), alongside the construction of the Sennar Dam and a railway network stretching more than 2,000 kilometers to support the transport and export of production. As a result, cotton became Sudan\u2019s leading export commodity and came to be known as \u201cwhite gold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following independence, successive national governments expanded cultivated areas, particularly in the Tokar Delta, the agricultural projects of the Nuba Mountains, and other productive regions. The country began producing both long- and short-staple cotton varieties, while ginning facilities and spinning and weaving mills were established near the production areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the establishment of the Gezira Project in 1925, cotton has become Sudan\u2019s leading cash crop and one of the pillars of the national economy. In the first decades after independence, it accounted for about 70% of the country\u2019s foreign exchange earnings, helping finance development projects and essential public services such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the sector has faced a number of challenges over recent decades. These include the rise of the oil industry, the growing use of petrochemical-based synthetic fibers such as polyester, and increasing production costs. In Sudan, these pressures have been compounded by political instability, insufficient agricultural financing, deteriorating infrastructure, problems with irrigation systems, and the limited adoption of modern technologies and scientific research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these challenges, the liberalization of the cotton sector and the opening of the market to private and foreign investment have created new opportunities for its recovery. Sudan also enjoys significant comparative advantages, including favorable climatic conditions, fertile soils, abundant water resources, and more than 200 million feddans (207.6 million acres) of arable land. In addition, its strategic location near international markets and access to the Red Sea\u2014one of the world’s most important trade routes\u2014further strengthen its potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this context, strengthening cooperation with Brazil becomes particularly important within the framework of South-South Cooperation and Africa\u2013Latin America partnerships. Brazil has achieved remarkable advances in cotton farming and has established itself as one of the world\u2019s leading cotton producers and exporters, thanks to scientific and technological developments led by its research agency Embrapa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brazil\u2019s experience in developing high-yield cotton varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases and adapted to drought conditions offers a valuable opportunity for Sudan. Bilateral cooperation could include joint programs for the production of improved seeds, the transfer of breeding technologies, the training of researchers, and the adoption of smart farming practices, helping to boost the productivity and competitiveness of Sudanese cotton in international markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudan also has major agricultural projects that could serve as gateways for joint investment, including the Gezira Project, the Rahad Agricultural Project, the New Halfa Project, and the Tokar Delta. These areas feature vast tracts of cultivable land, established irrigation systems, and significant potential for the introduction of modern agricultural technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The revitalization of the cotton sector is more than increasing agricultural exports, though. It represents an opportunity to build an integrated value chain encompassing cultivation, processing, spinning, weaving, and manufacturing industries. Such a strategy could increase national revenues, create jobs for Sudanese youth, and promote sustainable economic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cotton was once one of the main pillars of Sudan\u2019s economy. The fundamental conditions for its revival are still in place. With adequate investment, the adoption of modern technologies, and the application of successful international experiences\u2014particularly Brazil\u2019s\u2014\u201cwhite gold\u201d could regain its historic role and once again become a major driver of growth and development for the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brazil, recognized for its experience in development cooperation and its strong partnerships with African countries, is expected to respond positively to these opportunities, contributing to the strengthening of bilateral relations and to the advancement of agriculture and food security across the African continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Ahmed Swar is Sudan\u2019s ambassador to Brazil<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of their authors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more:
<\/em>Sudan looks to Brazil for reconstruction support<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translated by Guilherme Miranda<\/strong><\/p>\n

Supplied<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In an article, Sudan\u2019s ambassador to Brazil, Ahmed Swar, highlights the importance of cotton to the Sudanese economy and says Brazil could be an important partner in boosting the crop\u2019s productivity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2337,"featured_media":412396,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20687],"tags":[22644,9534,27134,10545,26557,10014,54248,1854,29326],"class_list":{"0":"post-412410","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"tag-brasil-en-2","9":"tag-brazil-en","10":"tag-economia-en","11":"tag-economy-en","12":"tag-investimentos-en","13":"tag-investment-en","14":"tag-productivity","15":"tag-sudan","16":"tag-sudao-en-2"},"wps_subtitle":"In an article, Sudan\u2019s ambassador to Brazil, Ahmed Swar, highlights the importance of cotton to the Sudanese economy and says Brazil could be an important partner in boosting the crop\u2019s productivity.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/412410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2337"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=412410"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/412410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":412412,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/412410\/revisions\/412412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/412396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=412410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=412410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=412410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}