KHARTOUM, 23 February 2016 – The Government of Japan has approved the amount of USD 630,000 to fund a project implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) titled “Supporting food and nutrition security in Sudan through soybean processing”.

The project addresses the local production and processing of soybean in Sudan, and comes in line with the national priorities reflected in the ongoing Country Programme for Sudan implemented by UNIDO.

The official launching of the project is scheduled for April. It constitutes the second phase of the UNIDO–Sudan soybean value chain development programme implemented in 2014 where Japan contributed USD 500,000.

The new funding is expected to further promote the utilization of locally produced soybean in agro-industries and among Sudanese households, through soybean productions and processing; thereby creating jobs and contributing to poverty reduction. It aims at building capacities in the production premium quality soybean beans for local industries, processing of value-added soy products including soy milk and soy cake, and as an important component of poultry feed. The project will contribute towards linking soybean producers to the local market end-users. 

Hideki Ito, Ambassador of Japan to Sudan, expressed his pleasure in making another contribution towards the development of a viable business in Sudan based on the strategic soy bean crop.

“I hope this second project will further assist Sudanese farmers, researchers, business people, and consumers in getting more familiar with this precious crop. It is also an invaluable crop in the lives of the Japanese people. I wish to see a possibility of soy bean playing a role in adding a new dimension to the bilateral relationship between the two countries,” said Ito.

UNIDO Representative to Sudan, Khaled El Mekwad, commended the valuable cooperation between UNIDO and Japan for the benefit of Sudan. “The dissemination of soy bean processing and consumption culture in Sudan will allow a larger population to consume food with a higher nutritive value at a more affordable cost. The Sudanese pilot experience could be shared at a later stage with other countries in the region”, he said.

For more information, please contact:
Khaled El Mekwad
UNIDO Representative in Sudan