Khartoum, July 9, 2026 (SUNA) – Minister of Finance, Dr. Gebreil Ibrahim, announced on Thursday that the government has approved the establishment of a bank-financed agricultural consortium worth more than SDG 3 trillion, with contributions from all banks operating in the country. The Ministry of Finance will guarantee the consortium as part of urgent government measures to ensure the success of the summer cropping season, which the minister described as a national priority. Speaking at a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Finance attended by the Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS), the General Manager of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan, and executives of commercial banks, Gebreil said the ministry would also cover a substantial share of agricultural insurance costs to ease the financial burden on farmers. He stressed the importance of organizing small-scale producers into agricultural cooperatives to facilitate government support through technical packages, extension services, and production inputs, with the aim of increasing productivity, ensuring a successful cropping season, and strengthening the country’s food security. Central Bank Governor Amina Mirghani announced that the CBOS would contribute 20 percent of the consortium’s value, while commercial banks would be required to contribute a minimum of 5 percent each. She said the initiative is intended to channel excess banking sector liquidity into the real productive sector while ensuring participating banks recover both their capital and profits. Amina Mirghani also underscored the need to expand microfinance and strengthen agricultural value chains from production to export, saying the initiative would enhance Sudan’s export capacity, support producers, create new income opportunities, and reinforce the banking sector’s role in agricultural development. Agricultural Bank General Manager Salah Abdel Rahim said the consortium would help mobilize financial resources for small-scale producers, strengthen the country’s strategic food reserves, support productive sectors, promote stability in rural areas, and empower women and youth. Representatives of Sudan’s banking sector, participating both in person and virtually, pledged their full commitment to contributing to the agricultural financing consortium.BH/BH