International Alumni Expert Seminar “Adaptation to Climate Change Stresses in Sudan to Achieve National Development Goals of Water Security and Food Security”, September 2012 Khartoum, Sudan

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provided financial means for conducting the International Alumni Expert Seminar “Adaptation to Climate Change Stresses in Sudan to Achieve National Development Goals of Water Security and Food Security” at Khartoum in September 2012

The Expert Seminar was organised by the Centre for International Capaciy Development, University of Siegen; the Development Studies & Research Institute (DSRI), University of Khartoum and the Institute for Technology and Resources Management, Cologne University of Applied Sciences.

Agriculture (food production) in Sudan is facing enormous challenges. Climatic changes are affecting agriculture through their direct and indirect effects on crops, soils, and pests, which in turn affect food availability as a basic pillar of sustainable food security. Therefore, achievement of food security and managing adverse impact of climate change are essential. An enormous amount of water (60–90% more irrigation water) is required to produce food under evolving conditions of climate change.
Achieving food security and water security throughout Sudan are major challenges with the background of changing climate conditions. There is a need to look forward and devise appropriate adaptation strategies and policies to address the present challenges of climate change, water and food security on a priority basis.
In Sudan, there is a significant shift in farming practices at the local level due to the climate change. Local people adopt flexible traditional strategies based on using indigenous knowledge to cope with climate change in order to achieve food security. The process of indigenous adaptation of farming practices to climate change is on-going and very characteristic of local farming communities. It is practical, efficient and economical to learn from the local people.

Objective:
This workshop focussed on the question of securing food and water given the current and evolving climate change conditions.
The main objective was to identify the scope and prospects for adapting to climate change to achieve national development goals of food security and water security.