Overcoming Adversity: How AGRIS Empowers Sudanese Researchers to Drive Agricultural Solutions
25/03/2025
Wasat Al Gedaref locality, Gedaref, Sudan. Amal Hussein, a farmer from Gedaref, gently inspects her sorghum crop, filled with hope and pride as she looks forward to a successful harvest.
©FAO/Mahmoud Shamrouk
In the heart of Sudan, agricultural researchers faced a daunting challenge. The loss of information and the destruction of gene banks due to climate change and unstable policies had left them without access to critical genetic resources. These resources were essential for developing resilient crop varieties, and their absence profoundly set back efforts to improve agricultural productivity and food security.
Amidst these challenges, AGRIS (the International System for Agricultural Science and Technology) emerged as a beacon of hope. Khalida Mohammed Nour Mohammed Saleh Adam, a researcher at the Agriculture Research Corporation, Nyala Research Station, found relief in this digital repository.
Recently, Khalida focused her efforts on plant breeding, specifically evaluating the productivity of various sorghum varieties and strains. Her research centered around local strains found in South Darfur, particularly the Barbari variety, known for its high productivity and cultivation through flood irrigation.
AGRIS provided Khalida access to a vast array of agricultural information, including studies, research papers, and scientific articles. This enabled her to fill the gaps left by the loss of genetic resources and continue her work. AGRIS became instrumental in Khalida's crop improvement project by offering key resources and up-to-date information about new agricultural technologies, crucial for advancing her work and addressing local agricultural challenges.
Using AGRIS regularly, approximately once a week, Khalida relied on the platform for literature reviews, report writing, and academic research in agriculture and environmental fields. This consistent use underscored AGRIS's reliability and the extensive information it provided to support diverse research needs.
But AGRIS was more than just a repository of information. It served as a networking tool, enabling Khalida to connect with other researchers working on similar topics. This allowed her to build a network of professionals with shared interests, fostering collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
Khalida found AGRIS to be a trustworthy repository of reliable scientific research related to FAO themes after the loss of the gene banks. She recommended AGRIS to her colleagues, citing its comprehensive and easy access to valuable agricultural information. Khalida considered it an essential tool for supporting research and scientific collaboration in agriculture, emphasizing its role in empowering researchers to overcome challenges and drive progress in their fields.
Through Khalida Mohammed Nour Mohammedsalih's experience, the essential role of AGRIS in bolstering agricultural research becomes clear. By providing extensive access to vital information and fostering connections among researchers, AGRIS ensures that crucial agricultural research persists, even in the face of significant challenges.

