Abstract: | This chapter examines agricultural machinery and equipment supply in the Sudan. First, intermediate technology in the traditional sector is discussed. Intermediate technology has significant advantages for the traditional farmer. Intermediate technology includes practical and simple machines which will bring about gradual mechanization of agriculture without causing drastic changes to existing practices. With this aim, the use of 'power' may be categorized as follows: locally-made hand tools, simple animal-drawn implements, and high-powered machinery such as tractors. An examination of machinery requirements in both rainfed and irrigated areas shows that there is a lack of adequate machinery. Next, attention is paid to the pattern of supply and marketing of agricultural implements (tractors and animal-drawn implements), the distribution and sales of machinery, credit facilities, and strategies for machinery supply. In this context, local manufacturing of agricultural equipment is discussed. It is concluded that agricultural mechanization in the Sudan has been on a project-by-project basis which has proved unsatisfactory. More efforts to support overall nationwide programmes are needed. Bibliogr. |