According to the Bank’s website, the objective of this project is to restore and enhance agricultural and livestock productivity, strengthen seed systems, and support private sector-led agricultural value chains in selected areas.

The proposed Khairat Project aims to strengthen agricultural and livestock systems, revitalize seed security, and promote private sector-led value chain development by delivering improved seeds, fertilizers, animal feed, and veterinary services; rehabilitating rural infrastructure; and expanding access to finance and markets for SMEs and farmer cooperatives. Together, these interventions would build a stronger agricultural sector that enhances food security, creates jobs, and supports more resilient livelihoods.

The project will comprise three components:

Component 1: Revitalizing Agricultural and Livestock Systems.
The project will boost productivity of key crops and livestock through improved inputs, extension services, and veterinary support. It will rehabilitate community-based infrastructure, focusing on irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting structures, and livestock watering points. Solar-powered irrigation pumps will enhance water availability, especially in drought-prone areas. Additional efforts include repairing canals, restoring storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses, and improving rural market access via feeder roads and bridges.

Component 2: Strengthening Local Seed Systems and Community Seed Banks.
This component aims to ensure long-term access to quality seeds by restoring and expanding community seed banks and supporting local cooperatives with training on seed management. It will revive research and development for improved seed production and build capacity for seed certification aligned with global standards. Investments in local seed enterprises will increase the availability of climate-resilient varieties, reducing reliance on external sources and improving recovery readiness.

Component 3: Enhancing Agricultural Value Chains and Private Sector Engagement
The project will strengthen agricultural and livestock value chains to address food insecurity and promote recovery. It will mobilize private investment and empower SMEs, cooperatives, and farmer associations to manage input supply, processing, and logistics. Activities will include upgrading irrigation systems, transport, storage, and post-harvest processing, financed through matching grants and supported by technical assistance. This approach will stabilize food supply, lower prices, and create jobs for vulnerable groups, especially youth and women.

The project will expand and operationalize the Mahsul digital platform to improve market access and value chain integration for farmers, cooperatives, and agri-SMEs. Mahsul, launched in 2024 under the ongoing Sudan Thabat Project, currently operates in three states (Northern, River Nile and Kassala) and connects farmers to markets through transparent B2B transactions. By reducing intermediaries and promoting price transparency, the platform will stabilize prices and enable vulnerable communities to access affordable food commodities through organized selling points.

Target localities, communities, and agricultural cooperatives will be identified using a formula established under the ongoing Sudan Thabat Project, based on clearly defined criteria including security conditions, agricultural and livestock potential, access to water resources, availability of private sector services (e.g., transport, agro-processing), and complementarity with other development partner interventions. This project is designed as a national project to ensure geographical targeting based on agriculture potential and the situation on the ground. Given the improved security situation and high agricultural potential in Gezira and Sennar states, the project may prioritize these two states for initial targeting. Should conflict escalate in any of the proposed project target areas, project resources may be reallocated to alternative localities or states, in accordance with procedures and criteria defined in the Project Implementation Manual (PIM), and in consultation with the World Bank.

The Project inherent environmental risk is rated ‘Moderate’. Project activities are not anticipated to cause conversion of natural habitats, or generation of large-scale pollutants given their small-scale nature and the rehabilitation activities being limited within the existing irrigation schemes. The construction and rehabilitation of the small-scale irrigation schemes may involve small-scale site clearance and removal of vegetation, resulting in soil erosion due to exposure of soil surfaces to rain and wind during site clearing, and excavation activities. Construction or rehabilitation activities, though small, could cause noise, air, and water pollution, and increase project workers and communities’ exposure to health and safety impacts. Potential occupational health and safety (OHS) risks may also result from the construction and rehabilitation of the irrigation schemes and other infrastructures. Although the irrigation schemes to be supported by the project will be small-scale, they could use agrochemicals, though not to be financed by the Project, that could pollute water and soil and cause risks to humans from mishandling and absence of protection. There are also potential environmental, health, and safety risks from project activities including waste management related to the disposal of used batteries. If handling and management of waste is not done properly, it could be indiscriminately discharged into the environment and cause damage to the community and the ecosystem.

The inherent social risk of the STARR Project is rated ‘Substantial’. Social risks include (i) exclusion of ethnic minorities (indigenous peoples) and vulnerable populations from project activities and benefits, (ii) security threats (including UXO), (iii) gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual exploitation and abuse/harassment (SEA/SH), (iv) weak community engagement due to remoteness and inaccessibility of some areas, and (v) threats to cultural heritage. Land acquisition and displacement risk is not anticipated at this stage. The contextual risk in Sudan is high mainly due to the FCV context of the country and the ongoing conflict that continues to result in large number of IDPs. The STARR Project will be implemented in conflict-affected localities and IDP hosting areas, which are volatile and highly prone to instability and conflict situations. As a result, there will be security risks for staff deployed to provide services for the conflict-affected communities while moving from area to area. In addition, there might be tensions or conflicts between the IDPs and the host communities that may impact the timely implementation of Project activities and delay the delivery of benefits. The majority of the peope lack a sustainable source of livelihood, or income sources, and want to maximize their life-saving opportunities and to meet their basic survival needs by moving to project locations where they believe that good benefits will be available which could lead to conflict. There is also the risk of inadequate monitoring, supervision, and timely redress of complaints, which could impact implementation. Social risks might be exacerbated due to contextual factors and the remoteness of project areas.

Total Operation Cost: US$ 90.00 million
Sudan Country Engagement (grant): US$ 90.00 million

CONTACT POINT - World Bank

Task Team Leader: Jeren Kabayeva
Title: Senior Agriculture Specialist
Email: jkabayeva@worldbank.org

TTL Contact: Nooshafarin Tayebi
Job Title: Senior Water Resources Management Specialist
Email: ntayebi@worldbank.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint