Fatooma Alnour Ibrahim, a 35-year-old farmer and the head of a household of 11 members, lives in Said Mahadi village in Aljabalain locality, White Nile State. Like many families in Sudan, Fatooma’s life has been shaped by the complex challenges of displacement, conflict, and climate-related disasters.
Fatooma and her family were displaced from their home in Blue Nile State due to ongoing conflict in Sudan. Seeking safety, they fled to Said Mahadi village, a community that had its own struggles with flooding and limited access to essential resources. Starting over in a new environment, Fatooma faced overwhelming odds. With no stable livelihood and inadequate agricultural inputs, her family often struggled to make ends meet. “We barely had enough to eat, let alone enough to plant a decent crop,” Fatooma shared, reflecting on those challenging times.
In 2023, Fatooma’s life began to take a different turn when ADRA Sudan, in partnership with USAID and CIMMYT under the SASAS project, introduced a series of agricultural interventions in Said Mahadi village. These programs were designed to support smallholder farmers, many of whom, like Fatooma, were displaced families rebuilding their lives. The initiative focused on improving access to high-quality certified seeds, providing training on climate-smart farming practices, and fostering community cooperation through the establishment of local cooperatives.
Eager to find a way forward, Fatooma joined the Almujtdeen Cooperative, a group of farmers working together to overcome shared challenges. Although she was initially skeptical about the cooperative’s impact, she decided to take a leap of faith. “The cooperative motivated us to join,” Fatooma recalled. “Initially, I didn’t trust that it would make a difference in my life, but I decided to give it a chance.”
Through the cooperative, Fatooma gained access to high-quality subsidized sesame and sorghum seeds distributed by a Last Mile Agent, a local entrepreneur trained to provide agricultural inputs to remote communities. With the support of five family members, she planted seven feddans of sesame. The results were extraordinary; the family harvested 2,100 kilograms of sesame, a yield that was far greater than anything they had achieved in the past.
“The profits have been great, especially with sesame prices being so high right now. I was able to make more than 6,142,500 SDG1 selling sesame,” she said. “I plan to save some of these seeds for the next season. This experience has opened my eyes to what’s possible with the right support, and I’m confident that my income will continue to grow from here.”
Fatooma’s success marked a turning point for her family. With the income from her harvest, she was able to reinvest in her farming activities and provide for her children, bringing a renewed sense of stability and hope to their lives. This achievement is more than just a personal milestone for Fatooma. It shows the strength and resilience of displaced communities facing overwhelming challenges. ADRA’s targeted interventions were a game-changer by tackling the persistent obstacles of poor-quality seeds, erratic market prices, and a lack of practical agricultural training. The project gave farmers like Fatooma the tools to not only survive but thrive. It’s a vivid example of how the right support can spark a profound transformation in the lives of those who need it most.
“Now, I have hope for the future,” Fatooma said, expressing her gratitude to ADRA, USAID, and CIMMYT for their support. “This experience has given me the confidence to expand my farming and provide for my family.”