Encouraging self sufficiency :Empowering women to farm their way out of Hunger

Hope is sprouting again in the heart of Blue Nile State, Sudan, for small-scale farmers who have endured years of conflict and hardship. Among them is Alawia, a 48-year-old mother of six from Hilat Al Hajar village, who has long struggled to feed her family.

​For two heartbreaking farming seasons, cultivating her small plot was simply too dangerous. "It was unsafe for me to leave my children behind to search for proper seeds," Alawia recalls. "My family was starving; the situation was truly difficult."

​Her life changed when she became a participant for the  Nexus Accelerator Project, implemented by World Vision with support from World Vision Canada. The project provides the essential resources she needed: certified seeds, modern tools, and practical training to increase food production and generate income.

​"With the project's support, I was able to grow sorghum again," Alawia says with a wide smile, tending to a field of thriving, tall stalks. The transformation is visible. "In the past, I used local seeds and harvested only two sacks. Now, I expect a double yield."

​The certified seeds have made an immediate difference. "Previously, it took more than a month for the crop to germinate," she explains. "Now it takes less than two weeks."

​This season, Alawia expects to harvest around four sacks of sorghum an estimate of  200 kilograms. With this bumper yield she will feed her family and will be able to sell some to the local market, providing income income to fend for her family. She also plans to save the high-quality seeds for her next planting season, ensuring long-term self-sufficiency.

​"I feel lucky to be part of this project," she says proudly. "We have learnt modern farming techniques, including how to prepare the land early. Before, we used to clear the fields after the rains began; now, I do it earlier, and it makes a big difference."

“Alawia's success demonstrates the core of what we aim to achieve: shifting families from reliance on aid to building genuine resilience,” says Mohammed Ali Sorage, NEXUS Project Coordinator. “By ensuring farmers have access to certified seeds and foundational knowledge, we are investing in local markets and sustainable food security for entire communities across Blue Nile State.”

​ The Nexus Accelerator Project, is strengthening household food security and resilience for 9,000 smallholder farmers across three localities in Blue Nile State by supporting them to grow staple crops and vegetables.