Sudan : Options for the Sustainable Development of the Gezira Scheme

[摘要] The report assesses the main factorswhich constrain the sustainable development of the GeziraScheme (GS), to develop medium, to long term plans,including short-term actions, to address those constrains.The GS, is described as a large and complex enterprise,because although it is one the world's largestirrigation systems, it has become one of the leastefficient, irrespective of the fact that it uses thirty fivepercent of Sudan's current allocation of Nile water,producing two-thirds of the country's cotton exports.Following debates on recommendations to convert the GS intoa joint stock company, the Government requested the Bank toreview, and assess options for the GS sustainability. Thereport identifies the following problem areas: large debtburden; institutional weaknesses, stemming from acentralized administration, and monopoly service enterprisesnot financially sustainable; infrastructure, and technicaldeficiencies; uneconomic production due to low averageyields; and, social inequities. Recommendations suggestmedium to long term plans for institutional change, throughpublic/private partnerships to establish an independent,privately managed Gezira Authority, who would decentralizemanagerial activities to competent farmer groups, and, incooperation with government agencies, would coordinateinstitutional functions in irrigation, agriculturalextension, and market information dissemination.

[发布日期] 2000-10-27 [发布机构] Washington, DC

[学科分类] 社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

[关键词] SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT;IRRIGATION SYSTEMS;IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT;ENTERPRISE SUPPORT;COTTON INDUSTRY