Farmers working in rain-fed cultivation in Sudan’s White Nile State have voiced concern over a poor harvest due to little rains and diminished funds this year in the state.

A farmer in the state told Radio Tamazuj that the poor rains will affect this year’s agricultural season.

“The rains started late, but for those who cultivated after the rains came, they grew crops but there were no workers. For the people who cultivated in the irrigated schemes, they had limited areas,” he said.

He pointed out that some of the farmers at Um Hani, Al Zalith, and Um Jalala areas will not cultivate this year because they don’t have enough funds. He further complained that local authorities allegedly detained some of the farmers when they demanded 'benefits' to help pay for costs from last year’s agricultural season.

“There is no funding, the government didn’t provide funds. The farmers were put in prison when they demanded their benefits of the last year. The farmers were not given money, they were not given anything, and they were just locked up in the prison,” said the farmer, who preferred not to be identified by name.