Project Title: Agricultural Business Development: Empowering Farmers and Pastoralists for Sustainable Livelihoods in South Darfur
Organization: Alradom Organization (Al Radoam Charity Organization)
Project Overview:
In the villages of South Darfur, families who have farmed this land for generations are losing the ability to feed themselves. Erratic weather, degraded soil, and lack of access to quality seeds and tools have turned farmers into aid recipients. Pastoralists who once moved freely with their livestock now find migration routes blocked and their animals dying from preventable disease .
Alradom Organization is launching its Agricultural Business Development project to transform subsistence farmers into successful agricultural entrepreneurs. Building on our proven track record of livelihood interventions—including vaccination campaigns that protected over 22,500 livestock in partnership with IOM and the Ministry of Animal Resources—we are now expanding to address the full spectrum of agricultural value chains .
This project moves beyond emergency relief to create sustainable, income-generating agricultural businesses that lift families out of poverty permanently.
The Context:
Darfur has always been a land of farmers and herders. Agriculture and livestock are not just livelihoods—they are identity, culture, and the foundation of community life. According to FAO data, 39.1% of all livestock in Sudan originates from the Darfur region, making pastoralist and farming communities central to both household food security and the broader economy .
Yet these communities face overwhelming challenges:
Climate shocks including erratic rainfall, delayed seasons, and patterns like El Niño devastate crops and grazing land
Degraded soil from overuse and climate change reduces agricultural productivity year after year
Lack of quality inputs leaves farmers without improved seeds, appropriate tools, or farming supplies
Limited training means farmers lack knowledge of sustainable practices, soil conservation, and climate adaptation
Livestock vulnerability continues despite past interventions, with animals suffering from disease and lack of vaccination
Blocked migratory routes prevent pastoralists from accessing traditional grazing areas
Economic pressure forces families to consume seed stocks for survival, leaving nothing to plant
The Food and Agriculture Organisation documented that no vaccination campaigns were implemented in South Darfur State in 2015 due to lack of government resources . Animals that could have been saved died from preventable disease. Families who depended on them slipped deeper into poverty.
In June 2016, Alradom stepped into this gap. Partnering with IOM and the Ministry of Animal Resources, we launched vaccination and treatment campaigns across four villages in Buram Locality: Hinaiga, Umm Mandoka, Amorgo, and Umm Kradis. The result was 22,500 heads of livestock protected—a lifeline for pastoralist communities already suffering from the impact of El Niño, delayed rainfall, and lack of government services .
Now, Alradom is going further.
The Agricultural Business Development project builds on this experience and these community relationships to create lasting economic transformation.
Project Components:
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Training and Extension | Hands-on training in sustainable farming practices, soil conservation, water management, climate-adapted techniques, and business planning. Farmers learn not just how to grow more, but how to grow smarter and turn harvests into income. |
| Quality Seed Distribution | Provision of drought-resistant, high-yield seeds appropriate to local conditions. No more planting seeds that fail when rains are unpredictable. |
| Essential Tool Provision | Distribution of quality farming tools including hoes, sickles, watering cans, planting equipment, and irrigation supplies. |
| Livestock Health Integration | Ongoing vaccination campaigns and veterinary care, building on Alradom's proven model to protect the animals that families depend on for milk, income, and resilience. |
| Demonstration Plots and Farmer Field Schools | Community learning sites where farmers observe new techniques, practice skills, and share knowledge with peers. These become permanent resources for ongoing education. |
| Business and Financial Training | Education on post-harvest handling, storage, processing, marketing, pricing, and financial management. Farmers learn to run their farms as businesses, maximizing value from every harvest. |
| Market Linkages | Connections to local and regional markets, helping farmers access buyers who will pay fair prices for quality produce. |
| Women's Economic Empowerment | Targeted support for female farmers, including women's agricultural groups, access to inputs, and training adapted to women's needs and schedules. |
| Youth Engagement | Programs to engage young people in agriculture as a viable, profitable career path, countering migration to cities and displacement camps. |
Target Beneficiaries:
Small holder farming families in South Darfur, building on Alradom's existing presence in Buram Locality villages (Hinaiga, Umm Mandoka, Amorgo, Umm Kradis)
Pastoralist communities seeking to diversify livelihoods and protect livestock assets
Female-headed households with limited access to land, inputs, and markets
Youth seeking skills and pathways into productive, profitable agriculture
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking to rebuild agricultural livelihoods
Host communities sharing resources with displaced populations
Expected Outcomes:
Increased household food production and reduced food insecurity
Improved knowledge of sustainable farming practices among participating farmers
Enhanced crop diversity and resilience to climate shocks
Reduced dependency on food aid
Increased household income from agricultural sales
Strengthened community capacity through peer learning and demonstration plots
Holistic household livelihoods integrating crop and livestock production
Sustainable agricultural businesses that continue generating income year after year
Sustainability Approach:
Alradom's Agricultural Business Development project is designed for long-term impact:
Training builds knowledge that stays with farmers forever, not just inputs that are consumed
Demonstration plots continue teaching long after the project ends
Farmer field schools create ongoing peer learning networks
Community-based veterinary systems sustain livestock health
Market linkages create lasting relationships between farmers and buyers
Women's groups provide ongoing support and solidarity
Partnerships:
Alradom Organization has demonstrated capacity working alongside:
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Ministry of Animal Resources, Government of Sudan
European Union (Cross Border Peace and Cooperation programme)
These partnerships enable effective coordination, alignment with government priorities, and access to technical expertise.
Call to Action:
The European Union-funded Cross Border Peace and Cooperation programme, which supported Alradom's livestock work, understood that enabling community stabilization means investing in livelihoods . Pastoralist and sedentary communities have coexisted in these areas for generations, their relationship built on trade, commerce, and shared dependence on the land .
When you invest in agricultural business development, you invest in that coexistence. You invest in stability. You invest in a future where families feed themselves and communities thrive together.
Your Contribution:
$50 - Seeds and tools for one family to begin farming
$100 - Agricultural training for one farmer, including business skills
$250 - Complete farming kit for a household (seeds, tools, training)
$500 - Support five families with training and supplies
$1,000 - Vaccination campaign protecting 500 livestock animals
$2,500 - Establish a demonstration farm serving an entire village
$5,000 - Comprehensive agricultural business package for a whole community
Join Alradom Organization today. Help us turn farmers into entrepreneurs, and hunger into food independence.