It has taken us almost two years to complete this book. A study of this nature and scope can only be completed through the hard work and dedication of so many people. It is very difficult to mention all of them, but we would like first of all to acknowledge the generous support for the study by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) as well as the continuous support from all WFP offices in Khartoum and across the different states in Sudan.

This comprehensive study has only been possible with the full participation and contribution of different government officials, directors, policy makers, professionals and academics from different institutions in Sudan. We would like to thank a number of individuals and institutions whose advice and ideas have contributed to this book:

Khartoum: Ministry of Agriculture and Forests; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries; Ministry of Finance and National Economy; Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs; Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources; Ministry of Environment and Physical Development; Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources; Strategic Reserve Authority; National Forest Corporation; Agricultural Bank of Sudan; Bank of Sudan; FAO and UNICEF.

South Sudan (Rumbek/Juba): Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Supply; Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries; New Sudan Center for Statistics; UNICEF; FAO; OCHA; UNFPA; SRRC; Action Faim (ACF); Norwegian Church Aid (NCA); Swedish Free Mission (SFM); Sudan Aid; Oxfam and Sudan Council of Churches (SCC).

Gadaref State: Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Wealth and Irrigation; Crops Market; Large and Small Farmers’ Unions; Agricultural Bank of Sudan (ABS) and Bank of Sudan.

Gezira State: Gezira Scheme and the Agricultural Research Corporation.

North Kordofan State: Ministry of Agricultural Animal Resources and Irrigation; High Committee for Food Security; Agricultural Research Corporation (Elobied Station); Rural Development Project (IFAD); Food Security Project (Care International) and FAO Special Program for Food Security (Elsimeeh and Erlrahad).

Southern Kordofan State: Government of South Kordofan; Ministry of Agricultural Animal Resources and Irrigation; Ministry of Education; Southern Kordofan Rural Development Program (IFAD); FAO Food Security Program; Save the Children and Dara Village Farmers (IFAD Project).

Susan Lees, whose long experience as proof reader of academic books and editor of academic papers has played a significant part in improving the quality and consistency of the language and formatting to appropriate style throughout the different chapters, checking references, and so on.

We would like also to thank Inderscience Publishers, and most sincerely, Dr M. Dorgham and his highly professional staff (Janet Marr, Sue O’Mara, Jim Corlett and Jyothi) for giving us the opportunity to publish this book. Janet Marr, in particular, has been instrumental in the successful completion of the book.

Abdelrazig, Adam and Allam
Khartoum and Brighton – December 2007