The World Bank and Ministry of Agriculture Launch the 2017 Enabling the Business of Agriculture report
KHARTOUM, May 23, 2017 — The World Bank, in partnership with Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, launched today the 2017 Enabling the Business of Agriculture (EBA) report.
Showing a notable improvement since the 2016 EBA, Sudan scored highest in the area of machinery, with a score of 54.87 (out of a hundred), compared to 45.9 in 2016. Sudan has also shown a slight improvement in access to finance, a particularly weak area where the World Bank Group is providing assistance through the Sudan Multi-Partner Fund, inching forward from a score of 27.1 in 2016 to 33.93 in 2017. Despite progress made, machinery and seed remain the only areas where Sudan does not fall below the regional average of regulatory best practices, indicating the long road ahead.
“We are pleased to see the efforts Sudan is making towards revitalizing its agriculture sector, which holds great promise for inclusive pro-poor growth,” said Xavier Furtado, World Bank Country Representative to Sudan. “While the current EBA report shows that there is still much work to do, the World Bank Group remains committed to supporting Sudan’s authorities in building a strong agro-industrialization sector. Over time, we hope the EBA and other diagnostics sponsored by the World Bank Group will encourage a stronger dialogue between the public and private sectors.”
Sudan’s agriculture and livestock sector accounts for approximately 30-35 percent of national GDP. With at least 50% of the economically active population dependent on agriculture, the sector’s potential remains under-utilized and could be a driving force in rebuilding the country’s economy following the secession of South Sudan.
“I would like to thank the World Bank Group for its continuous support in developing Sudan’s agriculture sector,” said Abdel-Latif Ijaimi, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Republic of Sudan. “Being included in the Enabling the Business of Agriculture report provides Sudan with an important opportunity to measure and compare its progress towards a stronger agribusiness sector. We look forward to continuing our dialogue with partners and stakeholders to make the most out of this year’s EBA outcomes and recommendations.”
Since 2013, Enabling the Business of Agriculture has collected data on laws and regulations that impact the business environment for agriculture. By providing data on regulatory frameworks that are globally comparable and actionable, EBA strengthens the information base for policy dialogue and reform. The 2017 EBA, which includes Sudan for a second year, collected data in 62 countries in twelve main topic areas: seed, fertilizer, machinery, finance, markets, transport, water, information and communication technology (ICT), land, environmental sustainability, gender, and livestock.
The Enabling the Business of Agriculture Survey complements the World Bank’s broader technical assistance to Sudan’s agricultural sector, which includes a large-scale study on Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, Sudan’s inclusion in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, as well as current efforts to support financial inclusion for women and youth in agribusiness through the Sudan Multi-Partner Fund.
